If you are traveling around southern Utah you are going to see a lot of rocks. The rocks in Monument Valley are gigantic stones that rise out of the earth like a whale breaching the surface of the ocean. The rocks in Arches National Park have been carved into intricate shapes that dazzle the imagination. The rocks in Bryce Canyon look like you are on another planet.
During our trip out west, ENan and I came across rocks that were stacked on top of each other. The official name for such a formation is a “cairn.” Cairns have been used since the dawn of human history to mark burial places, boundary markers and mountain summits. They are still used today to mark trails, helping travelers or trekkers find their way.
The Bible tells us that the people of Israel ended up in Egypt to avoid the devastating effects of a drought. When their migration to Egypt turned into slavery, God raised up Moses to lead them back to the Promised Land. Moses got his people as far as the Jordan River, but it was up to Joshua to take them the rest of the way. This included crossing the Jordan River, which – unfortunately – was at flood stage.
Joshua instructed the priests who were leading the procession to step into the rushing water. As soon as their sandals got wet, the water stopped flowing and the people were able to cross on dry ground. Joshua gave further instructions to the people, telling a member from each of the twelve tribes to pick up a stone from the river bed and to carry it to the opposite shore. Using the twelve stones, they constructed a cairn as a memorial marker. “In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them what happened today.” (Joshua 4:6-7)
What if we viewed our lives as spiritual markers? Each one of us has stories of God’s faithfulness to share with others. Our testimony can offer guidance to a fellow traveler, warning them of pitfalls we have discovered. Our lives can serve as an encouragement that someone has been this way before, whether that is through a valley or climbing a mountain.
Who knows? Someone’s life may depend on having a marker to follow.
-Dr. Jim Baldwin
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