Tuesday, January 14: Joshua 12- Remembering.

It is good to remember the deeds and blessings of God. In today’s chapter, Joshua lists all of the kings defeated by Israel. Like the Bible as a whole, this chapter provides a record of the exploits of God and through whom the Lord worked.

I found myself thinking we don’t do very much of this today. We don’t record or list the works of God in a way that we can pass down His ongoing story to generations that will follow us.

I recall standing in an old, old church in the UK. There was this one wall, which had a list of all the pastors. I think there was also a date by the person’s name. I remember my ‘wow’. God had used all those names to do His biding and lead His church over the centuries. One interesting feature is that this particular protestant church had names of rectors that pre-dated the reformation. Though the reformation is often seen as a major divide in Christendom, I don’t recall any particular demarcation. This particular church stood on the foundation of the men who served her as leaders.

I remember being impressed. I saw, in that list, God at work throughout centuries. I saw God using His people to lead His church. I saw that it was not the work of one key person but rather the accumulation of efforts of many people who brought that church safely into the present. I remember thinking, there could be other lists: a list of elders, of deacons, of missionaries, of women’s aid societies workers, of sextons, of…. the Church is built on God working through so many, many people.

God is working His-story (History). Are we recording it in a way that allows us to tell the generations to come what God has done?

God, help me to tell Your story and to tell it well. I pray in Jesus’ name and for His kingdom’s sake. Amen.