Thursday, May 20, 2010

Memorials





Have you ever anticipated an event, got there, experienced it, knew something monumental was stirring in you throughout it but were left with just a vague impression of all that had just transpired?

Maybe I'm the only one.

In my walk with Christ, there have been times when the Lord has whispered, savor this. In the moment, I can cognitively acknowledge its preciousness but my heart hasn't quite wrapped around it. I can tell myself, okay, one day, this is going to mean something beyond what it's meaning to me right now.

In the Old Testament, the Lord had His people, the Israelites, set up memorials to remind His people of all He had done for them. You'd think they'd just remember if it was such a big deal. But, not unlike myself, they got distracted by needs, wants and a deceitful heart that would lead them astray into trusting men instead of God. They forgot how perfectly the Lord delivered them from their enemies and provided for all the needs and wants. Since He knew them and knew that would happen, He was adamant about constructing a memorial as a physical, tangible evidence of His faithfulness.

Today, I glanced down at my phone and noticed the date: May 20, 2010. Ten years ago to the day, I was a part of an event that I knew would become a memorial in my heart but, at the time, hadn't quite had my heart wrap around it. I remember thinking it would be something monumental but had no idea how the Lord would flesh it out in me personally.

Ten years later, the Lord gave me a picture: a road, not so level in some places, winding, well-beaten with monuments marking every quarter mile or so. It was as if I heard Him say, that's the way you've come, that's the life you've lived, and the monuments are distinct evidences of My faithfulness to you...see what I've done? ...see how much I love you?

May 20, 2000 was one of those days He plucked from among many to show me His faithfulness. I couldn't grasp all that He was showing me that day, but looking back I can see it went beyond one day...beyond just me. It stands now in thousands of hearts among hundreds of other memorials to proclaim God's faithfulness. He was faithful then. He is faithful now. He will be faithful forever.