The waters of the Jordan are heaped up but there is more
here than just damming the water going on.
The people passed through on dry ground.
The river bed would not be dry simply because the water stopped flowing
for a time, it would be a muddy mess.
Can you imagine how long it would have taken for the people to pass
through with all their possessions, tents, animals, etc.? Joshua then commands the tribes to each take a
stone and erect a monument here at the entrance to the land that will be here
as a memorial to the goodness and faithfulness of God. Nothing other than a river crossing has
happened at this point but Joshua's actions here underscore his faith in what
God will do in faithfulness to His covenant promises to the nation. It is similar to Abraham's actions in
erecting an altar when he first came into the Land over five hundred years
before in faith that God would fulfill the promise to his seed.
In the midst of Jesus' prophecy concerning the next few days
and the intrigue of the priests and Judas to fulfill the prophetic word, we
have the little story of the woman with the alabaster flask of ointment. She comes while Jesus is visiting at the home
of Simon the leper (how would you like to be known that way for all eternity?)
and pours her ointment over Jesus' head, an incredibly presumptuous thing to
do. It is thought she was a prostitute
as they frequently carried such flasks as an enticement and advertisement to
men. For her to pour out this allurement
would be tantamount to repentance, leaving behind her former ways. Jesus' disciples believe this to be a waste
of money that could be given to the poor but He says this will be a memorial to
her forever. How amazing that this one
act of sacrificial love would stand forever in the knowledge of the
church. We never know how important such
a small act in the grand scheme of world history can be.
As we offer ourselves as living sacrifices we use our gifts
and talents, our time and our treasure to Him who has given us all things by
His grace. When we do, we never know how
remarkably He will use them. In real
estate appraisal terms, only in His service are all these used for their
highest and best purpose. Only He truly
knows for what end He gave us these things and when we employ them not for our
glory or our own selfish ambitions we find their ultimate aim. The woman in the Gospel found that when she
ceased using her ointment for commerce its value increased. The rocks that were near the Jordan were
simply rocks before the people created the memorial for all time. We never know how important small things can
be. We don't have to set our store by
doing something great, just doing it for His glory.
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