Bible Study Verse
Joshua 4:4-6-7
So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever." (NIV)
Thoughts
Trail markers are the key to backpacking success. My family has a game we play when we are out on a trail; and my guess is that if you've done some hiking, you've probably played it too. It's not a game that was officially declared or created, but just sort of evolved.
When we are hiking along, my kids often compete to be the first one to see the next marker. These markers, usually diamond-shaped, in a variety of colors, orange, green, or blue, are most often hung about six feet off the ground on either side of a tree and can be easily seen from both directions. This allows you to move forward or go back the other direction if necessary.
Many times the trail that we are looking for is overgrown, or there are animal trails that fork off the main trail so that one might appear to be the path we should follow. At times we've had to backtrack to the last marker so that we could get our bearings. Whatever the reason for the lack of direction, these markers help us to find our way.
Spiritually, I have many markers that I can look back on and know that God was working in me or my family. Because of these "landmark" times, I can rest assured that today, even if I don't always see the way clearly, I know that God has sustained me through this life's journey time-and-time again. All I have to do to be reassured is to look back and see His grace and mercy in my life. I have confidence in Him because of these previous trail markers. These markers help me to press on.
(Dave M)
Action Point
The enemy has a way of putting doubt into the mind of a believer. In these moments when we lack faith, we simply turn back to the spiritual markers God has placed in our life and remember that He has been faithful to us. He desires the best for us. We must trust in Him.
If you are just getting started in your journey of faith, take it from someone who has been in some rough spots: God will sustain you through thick and thin!
Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
Keep a journal of fishing or hunting trips, backpacking adventures, or camping experiences. Eventually, it will become a gift from you to your kids. I have a friend of mine who has done this; and when they have family gatherings, inevitably one of the kids pulls out the family journal to reminisce about favorite memories.
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