by: Pastor Lonnie Phillips
Joshua 4:6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?' 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever." (Jos. 4:6 ESV)
Do you and I have markers in our life where God has met us powerfully, making His presence known to us? These markers become testimonies of God’s love and kindness for the next generation.
When I went to Asbury Seminary, I had a professor, Dr. Kallas, who shared that he would go to his hometown once a year as a retreat to be reminded of God’s goodness and grace in his life. This past month of July, I went on sabbatical for a month and sensed that the Lord was wanting me to spend a couple of days in my hometown of Friona, Texas. Honestly, I was thinking about going on a personal retreat to the ocean or mountains but the Lord kept bringing up Friona to my mind, so I went out of obedience.
It was really the first time of being in Friona, without just passing through, since 1989, 32 years ago. I did a lot of walking around town and going to those places where God met me and made Himself known to me. The two pictures that I share are two markers in my life:
1) While attending a Sunday Service with my parents, when I was ten years old, I left the service to wander the halls and found my way to this little chapel. As I sat in the chapel, I became aware of God’s Holy and manifest presence. It is hard to describe the experience other than I knew that I was known by God and that He was Holy. I became afraid and ran back into the sanctuary to join my parents.
2) The second picture is of the football field where I played during my high school years. It was my junior year and it was the first time that I had ever prayed before a game that God would be glorified through my play. During that specific game, I experienced God make himself known to me, during a run that I made, which I knew was not just in my strength alone. As I stood on this football field years later, that specific run I remembered and was reminded that God was and continues to be my strength.
Markers are important for us to have in life. Christ not only uses these markers to encourage us, on occasions, but these markers are to be used to testify of Christ Jesus and His goodness to the next generation.
What are your markers and are you sharing them with your children?
Joshua 4:6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?' 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever." (Jos. 4:6 ESV)
Do you and I have markers in our life where God has met us powerfully, making His presence known to us? These markers become testimonies of God’s love and kindness for the next generation.
When I went to Asbury Seminary, I had a professor, Dr. Kallas, who shared that he would go to his hometown once a year as a retreat to be reminded of God’s goodness and grace in his life. This past month of July, I went on sabbatical for a month and sensed that the Lord was wanting me to spend a couple of days in my hometown of Friona, Texas. Honestly, I was thinking about going on a personal retreat to the ocean or mountains but the Lord kept bringing up Friona to my mind, so I went out of obedience.
It was really the first time of being in Friona, without just passing through, since 1989, 32 years ago. I did a lot of walking around town and going to those places where God met me and made Himself known to me. The two pictures that I share are two markers in my life:
1) While attending a Sunday Service with my parents, when I was ten years old, I left the service to wander the halls and found my way to this little chapel. As I sat in the chapel, I became aware of God’s Holy and manifest presence. It is hard to describe the experience other than I knew that I was known by God and that He was Holy. I became afraid and ran back into the sanctuary to join my parents.
2) The second picture is of the football field where I played during my high school years. It was my junior year and it was the first time that I had ever prayed before a game that God would be glorified through my play. During that specific game, I experienced God make himself known to me, during a run that I made, which I knew was not just in my strength alone. As I stood on this football field years later, that specific run I remembered and was reminded that God was and continues to be my strength.
Markers are important for us to have in life. Christ not only uses these markers to encourage us, on occasions, but these markers are to be used to testify of Christ Jesus and His goodness to the next generation.
What are your markers and are you sharing them with your children?
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