Week of January 22, 2001
Wesley S.

"Joshua called the twelve men whom he had selected from the Israelites, one man from each tribe, and Joshua said to them, 'Go ahead of the ark of Yahweh your God into mid-Jordan, and each of you take one stone on his shoulder, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel, to make a sign among you; and when, in the future, your children ask you, "What do these stones mean for you?" you will then tell them, "The waters of the Jordan separated before the Ark of the covenant of Yahweh; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters separated. These stones are an everlasting reminder of this to the Israelites.'"
     Joshua 4:4-7

The passage in Joshua 4 is about marking spiritual milestones in our lives. We mark our baptisms with water, we mark the Lord's Supper with bread and wine, and we mark our worship space with crosses, banners and others signs that are physical reminders of the God whom we worship. In the same way, Joshua had his twelve tribal representatives make an altar of stones to signify God's bringing fulfillment of His promise to bring His people into the promised land.

For myself, the last several months have left several physical and spiritual markers. The three months I spent at St. Mary's Medical Center during the Spring taught me several important lessons. My time at St. Mary's taught me to how to deal with people and not just ideas. I learned what it is like to be with people suffering enormous physical, spiritual and emotional pain, and I had to learn to deal quickly and sincerely with these people without the opportunity to take time and think matters through. So I have kept my St. Mary's ID as a reminder to me always that God always has new lessons to teach us.

Since September I have been at Bethel Lutheran, a gorgeous structure full of stained-glass windows, crosses, banners and candles. It is also the place where I first entered my ministry, and I often sit in the sanctuary looking at all the physical objects that direct my eyes heavenward. I sit there and think how God continues to have surprises for us and that surrender is always the best response to His will. Never in my life have I experienced the fulfillment I have in just the last few months. I hope to stay at Bethel a long time, but however long I'm there, it will always be a marker for me like Joshua's stones.

And of course, the last few months witnessed the transition of Judy, Wesley and myself from Abiding Presence. For ten years we attended worship at Abiding Presence, and that decade sums up Judy's and Wesley's entire Lutheran experience; and what a great one it was. The nurturing in the faith that we all received as a family will stay with us as long as we live. Just like Joshua's stones that marked God's presence among His people, Abiding Presence stands as a marker in our lives that God is real to His people. And thank you all for allowing yourselves to be used of God to minister to us.

Loving God, we have received such a bounty of blessings from you. May we always take time to erect markers to your grace that we and our children may see them and say, "Here is where God met another of His promises." Amen.

Contributed by Westly S.
Published Monday January 22, 2001
Week 9 of Liturgical Year C