Spiritual Markers - Sunday's Music

In Joshua 4 you can read about the Children of Israel crossing the Jordan River on dry ground. They were on their way to Jericho to walk around the wall and knock it down. I'm sure you're familiar with that story.

But here's an interesting thing about the walk across the Jordan. Joshua selected a big strong man from each tribe and told him to go out to the middle of the dry Jrodan River bed and to pick up a stone - a large stone - put it on his shoulder, and carry it out to the Jericho side of the river.

The Jordan River

Why would he want 12 big stones from the center of the river? Joshua explains why.

4:20.Those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.

21.He said to the sons of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones ?'
22.then you shall inform your children, saying, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.'
23."For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed ;
24.that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever."

Through the years I have set up my own stones. Sometimes they have been literal stones, but most of the times they are just spiritual markers.

There was a time, 20+ years ago, when I was working for a rather stressful church. Many changes were going on and things were not like God intended for a church. During that time the church called a new pastor. Through a long series of events that I won't bore you with, and over a few months time, the new pastor changed out the rest of the ministerial staff. Which is a fancy way of saying that 8 or 9 of us lost our jobs. After our money ran out Cheryl and I packed up the kiddos and moved to Tennessee to live with my parents while we waited to see where God would take us next. Waiting is not an easy thing to do when you have no job, no home, car payments, etc. But we waited... and waited...

While we waited for a full-time position I led the music on the weekends at a little country church in Slayden, Mississippi. What wonderful people God had there. They loved us and helped us heal from the wounds of Denver. I also worked at FBC, Collierville. Here's a really funny part. I worked in their Family Life Center handing out basketballs and those kinds of things. If you know me at all you know that basketballs are NOT something I know much about. But there I was having two churches care about me and my family and show us God's love and provision.

Long story short (sorta) 10 months later on the first Sunday of May was my first Sunday at my new church, Central Baptist Church in Martin, TN. The people of Martin loved us and we loved them (still do) and we had a wonderful time of ministry there for 11 years!

And now, every year, on the first Sunday of May - now for over twenty years - I have led my congregations in singing "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." They haven't always known the story behind that, but Cheryl and I did and my children did.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father.
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

Great is Thy faithfulness,
Great is Thy faithfulness.
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.
Great is Thy fiathfulness, Lord unto me.

Carving of the men taking rocks out of the Jordan River.

We didn't get to sing this great hymn last week however, even though it was the first Sunday of May. Sunday morning we sang "missions" music for our On Mission Conference. We would have sung it Sunday night, but we ended up cancelling Sunday night's services because of the whole flooding deal.

So... We're singing it THIS Sunday. I think it fits perfectly with the struggles so many will have over the weeks to come with the aftermath of the flooding in Clarksville, Ashland City, Nashville and around the area.

We'll begin the service with
"O God Our Help in Ages Past" - a great testimony of God as our Helper.

The choir will sing "Hallelujah to the King!"

Then we'll all sing
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
and
"Made Me Glad"

"And You have made me glad
and I'll say of the Lord
You are my Strength, my Shield, my Fortress, Deliverer, my Shelter, Strong Tower, my very present Help in time of need."

24.that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever."

If you don't have spiritual markers in your life you really need to set some up. And you need to tell your children about them. They need to see how God has worked in your life and how you have trusted Him so they can learn to do the same.

Sunday, come to worship with these songs on your heart and remembering your own experiences where God has been your "very present help in time of need" so we can sing His praises together and celebrate His goodness, mercy, love, provision, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.