Forget not His benefits

19/3/11 Joshua 3-6; 1 Corinthians 4

S: Joshua 4:20-23 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over.

O: Moses has died. The leadership of the people of Israel was now in Joshua’s hands, and God had to reassure him so many times “Don’t be afraid, I am with you.” It must have been really daunting to try to step into Moses’ shoes.

The children of Israel might have felt the same way, so God re-enacted the crossing of the Red Sea in miniature with the crossing of the Jordan River. This was further evidence for them that God really did anoint Joshua to lead them as well.

A: God had instructed Joshua to bring 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan River and set them up as a memorial of this crossing.

We need these kinds of reminders of the blessings God had done for us in the past, because when we’re facing a current problem, it often looms so high, we forget God’s earlier miracles.

As a result, many people when facing a current problem go into a “woe is me” tailspin and forget His benefits instead of obeying Psalm 103:2.

I have heard people I know that God has blessed in the past complain that all their lives are woe and nothing good ever happens to them, but it is not true. They will rattle off a litany of their woes, omitting anything good.

God doesn’t want us to do this. For one thing, it’s bad for us. We don’t benefit from a pity party.

So God wants us to remember His benefits. Setting up that pile of 12 stones was one way. Keeping an “answered prayers” list is another way. Choose a way that fits your personality. J

P: Father, may I always remember Your benefits and give me wisdom when helping someone who does not. In Jesus name, amen.