Markers of His faithfulness
There are moments in life when God’s faithfulness feels impossible to miss. A prayer is answered. A door opens. Healing begins. Provision arrives at exactly the right time. We look back and realize that God carried us through seasons we never could have survived on our own. But as time passes, we sometimes forget.
The miracle that once overwhelmed us becomes a story we rarely tell. The fear we once felt fades, and we forget how desperately we needed God. We move on to the next problem, the next prayer, and the next uncertain season. Then a new problem appears, and we immediately panic. How will I pay these bills? What if I lose my job? What if the diagnosis is bad? What if this relationship cannot be repaired? What if the door never opens? What if the prayer is never answered? In those moments, fear becomes louder than our memories. We forget the times God provided before, the doors He already opened, and the impossible situations He has already carried us through.
Many, many years ago, we were car hunting. We were very young and had made a quick decision about something that probably deserved much more thought and prayer. The car was beautiful. She was a pearly cream color, a little sporty, and had all the bells and whistles. We named her Pearl. Pearl also came with a hefty monthly payment of around $400. That might sound like a good deal for a car payment today, but at the time, it was a lot of money for us. We were living on a ministry salary, so we were not exactly “ballin out” by any means.Everything feels exciting when you first make a purchase and the first payment has not come due yet. But once the second month arrives, reality begins to set in. Oh, man. We are committed to this. The loan was spread out over several years, and I remember thinking we would never be free from it. We loved the car and enjoyed it with our kids, but as the years passed, we began struggling to keep up with the payments.One day, feeling the weight of it all, Nick prayed, “Lord, please forgive me for not seeking You and praying about this car. I made this decision without enough thought or care. If there is any way You can release us from this burden, please help us. But if not, I will work harder and do my best to keep up on the payments until the car is paid off.” ( Which was another 2 years) I am not joking when I say that within a week or two, we received a call from a friend at church. He asked, “How much do you still owe on your car?” Nick replied, “Seventeen thousand dollars.” Our friend said, “No, you don’t.” Confused, Nick asked, “What do you mean?” He answered, “The Lord told me to pay off your car. I’m going to write you a check tomorrow so you can pay it off.”
NOT ONE PERSON knew the weight we were carrying. No one knew about the choices we had made or the prayer Nick had prayed. But God did. He saw the burden. He heard the prayer. And He put it on this person’s heart!!! HE worked it all out in a way we never could have imagined. I could not have dreamed up that scenario in my wildest imagination.
Recently, I heard a worship leader speaking at a concert. He was standing onstage, coming to the end of his tour in his hometown, looking out at a sold-out crowd for the second night in a row. Completely in awe, he said, “I can’t even say this is a dream come true, because I didn’t even know to ask God for this.” Sometimes God answers the prayers we know to pray. Other times, He works in ways so far beyond our expectations that we would never have even thought to ask.
Stones of Remembrance
In Joshua 4, God stopped the Jordan River so the Israelites could cross on dry ground. Afterward, twelve stones were taken from the middle of the river and placed where the people camped. These stones were meant to cause future generations to ask, “What do these stones mean?” That question gave God’s people an opportunity to tell their children how He had made a way when the situation seemed impossible. The river had been overflowing, but God stopped the water. The people had no way across, but God kept His promise. The stones turned a miracle into a testimony.
I love Samuel’s words: “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” These words were spoken by the prophet Samuel after God gave Israel a victory they could not have achieved on their own. Samuel set up a stone and named it Ebenezer, which means “stone of help,” as a lasting reminder that every step of the journey had been sustained by God’s faithfulness. Samuel was acknowledging everything God had done up to that moment, but Israel’s story was not over. There would be more battles, more uncertainty, and more moments when the people would need God’s help.
We Are Prone to Forget
The Israelites often forgot what God had already done. They forgot the Red Sea when they became thirsty. They forgot His provision when they became hungry. They forgot His past victories when they faced a new enemy. We do the same. God provides, but the next financial need makes us panic. He guides us, but the next uncertain season makes us question Him. He carries us through one trial, yet we wonder whether He will be faithful in the next. We may remember the event, but forget what it revealed about God. That is why we need memorial stones. For our family, Pearl became one of those stones of remembrance. The car itself is long gone, but the testimony remains. It reminds us that God saw us, heard us, and provided for us in a way we never could have arranged on our own.
What Are Your Memorial Stones?
Most of us will not build literal piles of stones, but we can still create reminders of God’s faithfulness. A memorial stone might be a journal filled with answered prayers, a photograph from a season God carried you through, a verse marked in your Bible, a meaningful object, a family tradition, or a testimony you continue to share. For me, I got one of those sticky tiles from the dollar store, it looks like faux rocks and I have written all the big things down. I have it hanging in my room. When I look at it.. I go.. oh “wow God, I remember that..“ You did that, and you did this..” These reminders are meant to point our hearts back to Him. They remind us that the God who helped us then is still with us now.
Tell the Story
The stones beside the Jordan were not only for the people who experienced the miracle. They were also for their children and for the generations that followed. Our testimonies are not only for us either. Someone else may need to hear how God provided for you. Your children may need to know how God carried your family. A friend walking through a painful season may need the hope found in your story. There is so much power in sharing what you have personally walked through and what God has brought you through that has the abilty to encourage and build up another person!
Do not allow God’s faithfulness to be forgotten. Write it down. Mark the moment. Tell the story. Raise your Ebenezer. Then, when the next impossible situation comes, look back and remember, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” And He will be faithful again.
April Lemau