And Joshua said to them, “Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”

– Joshua 4:5-7

Happy New Year! It seems absolutely unreal that we’ve made it to the start of a new year once again. New semesters are starting, we’re getting back into the swing of things, and we’re smack dab in the middle of resolution season.

I’ve never been one to make New Year’s resolutions. Even as a child, I’d seen too many people make ’em and break ’em in a matter of weeks. So I never thought they were worth it.

But this year, I thought I’d try another tradition that seems a bit more appealing… and a touch more practical. Choosing a word to focus on throughout the year!

My Word of the Year

The inspiration for the word I’ve chosen–reminder–comes from my Echo Dot that sits next to my bed. Because without it, I’d be in trouble.

Every night at 7:30, my faithful Alexa chimes and says, “This is your reminder from Jack. Take medication. This is your reminder from Jack. Take medication.”

Now that I’ve already told on myself, I might as well come out and say it clearly. I’m horrible at remembering to take my medication. I have a smattering of non-life-threatening health problems that require medication to manage.

However, outside of the structured routine I have in the morning (I’ve never been able to create a nighttime routine because no one’s going to write me up for being late to bed), I seriously struggle to remember to take my medicine.

Hence, my sweet, sweet husband has created a reminder for me each night, so I won’t forget because I got distracted again by an episode of a new show or the next chapter in the book I’m reading. Despite my antics and short attention span, my husband’s reminder helps me stay on track with my health.

Why Biblical Memorials Matter More Than Spiritual Moments

We see something similar happen with the children of Israel. Time and time again, as God teaches them how to be sons instead of slaves, He tells them to remember or set up a reminder of what He’s done for them. It’s a regular theme that pops up throughout the law. Remember. Don’t forget.

And when we find ourselves in Joshua 4, we again see a memorial, a reminder being set up. God has just repeated what He did at the Red Sea at the flooded Jordan River. He split the water and let them walk through on dry land. But if we look closely, there’s a key difference.

Spiritual Forgetfulness at the Red Sea

After God parted the Red Sea and saved them from the Egyptians, Exodus 14:31 says, “When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.”

Wanna know how long that lasted? Three days. Before we get to the end of the next chapter, the people have gone three days into the wilderness without finding water, and their first response is to grumble.

It only took them three days to forget “the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians.” That event had been an anchor for their faith. But the anchor didn’t hold without a reminder to connect the people to the event.

So when God gives them another sign of His power as they walk into the Promised Land, this time He makes sure they have a reminder.

Taking a Cue from the Joshua 4 Stones

Just like my Alexa reminder, the memorial of the twelve stones was meant to keep the people on track. To remind them of the power that was still on their side.

I think it’s also important that we surround ourselves with reminders of who God is and how He has worked in our lives. Not just personal reminders, but like the example set in Joshua, generational reminders.

When the people of Israel got ready for battle against all the kingdoms that inhabited the Promised Land, they had an anchor to remind them of God’s power. A reminder they explained to their children. And that prepared them to face the battle.

A New Year’s Spiritual Goal Worth Sticking To

And the same thing goes for us. The more reminders we can surround ourselves with, the better prepared we’ll be for the battles and storms to come. So let’s start this year by setting ourselves some new reminders and remembering the power and goodness of our God!