His name was Joshua and he found himself at the top of the roster.    He had been well trained, spent a lot of years as senior executive assistant to the boss.

Watching, listening, learning.

The master had been his mentor and it was his turn to take over.

The time was now.

God said so.

Without batting an eye or uttering one word about the unlikelihood of success, he started walking.  It sounds easy enough now, well over 2000 years later.

Big shoes to fill.

God’s promise of success came with step by step instructions.

Joshua, son of Nun was God’s chosen man to lead the people, many thousands of them, across the raging river, past their enemies and into the land God had promised to give them.  He listened and did exactly, precisely what God told him to do, beginning with stepping into that river.  You may know that they did in fact get to where they were going.  The endless supply of manna finally did end, thank goodness .  The land of milk and honey became their new home and they were thankful.  For a while anyway.

God chose the leader, for a huge job that in reality should have been impossible.

God said:  No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.  Joshua 1:5

Everybody arrived on the other side of the river

after passing through the river valley on dry ground, by the way

And then

one man from each tribe.  Twelve

chose one rock each to carry on their shoulders.  Twelve rocks, from the very spot where the priests had stood, holding the ark of the covenant.  God dwelling among them, while the nation passed by.

Those twelve placed their rocks, piled together, at the first stop in the new land.

A Memorial!  Remembered forever!    God’s commitment to His promise!

A Legacy!  For the generations to come.

He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”  Joshua 4:24

Her name is Catherine and I asked if I could talk about her, to you.  She has a house full of little ones.  Three girls and a boy.  The girls  run and play and learn and do all those things that school age girls do.  They keep Catherine busy and she does what mom’s do and is thankful to be able to.  The fourth child in Catherine’s Nest is a boy.  His name is Jared and he is 7.  Jared does not do the things most boys his age do.  He is “developmentally disabled and has autism” and has the “mentality and mischief of a 2 year old”.

I met Catherine four years ago.  She was often in the children’s class, helping.  When she did make an appearance around our core group table she shared insight and wisdom that God was teaching her.  She spoke quietly and with confidence.

Since that first wisdom sharing experience

I have spent many mornings around a Table of Learning with Catherine.   God decided to bless her with a life of joy and laughter and hardship and sadness and difficulty and fun and exhaustion

and

she continues to praise Him.  She doesn’t  talk about life in the face of adversity but she lives it every day.  I haven’t asked her but wouldn’t be surprised if there are mornings when her eyes open and she considers the hours ahead, wonders how she will accomplish what needs to be accomplished.

She chooses, every day, to put her feet in those shoes and do what needs to be done.  The job is big.  The rewards must at times seem meagre.

God spoke clearly to Catherine last spring.  I know this because she told me.

He suggested, Clearly

she, with those big shoes He asks her to wear, trust Him for the strength she would need to actually do some jumping,

right into a leadership position.  She thought about it for a minute or two.

Then, knowing full well it was Him who was asking and up to her to believe and step into the raging river of I trust I am hearing Him right

 she did what He said and

jumped.

Catherine will study and share each week.  As she does that sharing, she will learn and we who listen will learn and some days we/I will say, “Wow that was exactly what I needed to hear today”.   Maybe it will be something I know well and it isn’t new at all but it will still be good and I will grow

in Wisdom and knowledge.  Reading and studying God’s Living Word is like that.  When you read it, you can’t help but learn.  That’s why He gave it to us.

Just the other day Catherine talked about

Remembering.

Remembering the past.  Remembering in the present.  Remembering in the future.  Just as Joshua, Because God told him to, instructed the people to prepare a memorial for future generations.

 The Blessing.  Significant.  Sometimes, to dig it out of the past requires careful consideration.

Catherine presented a challenge.

What will you leave as a legacy for your children,  a memorial for the generations to come?

It was a good question.

I have been thinking about it a lot these past three days.  There may have been others sitting in that room who are pondering  tonight.

Joshua 1:8 says  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

It came to me tonight!

The Legacy I leave is actually not mine.

Really, what do I have to give that could last

forever?

Can’t think of anything!

Don’t look at me.

I am a sinner, loved.

A piece of clay, being formed into something beautiful.  It will take a lifetime.

Here is the offering to whomever might ask me for something to grab hold of on the journey.

“…This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

 My own parents had nothing of earthly value to leave behind and we didn’t question it, ever.  I know, have always known, am thankful to know, am blessed to have been introduced to the inheritance that transfers from this World to the life ever after.

It is An Education in what lasts.

My Dad is gone but his Bible is here, in my house.  The words in the margins and the note found among the pages were part of the gift left behind when he moved from this land to his forever, promised home.  I cherish it partly because it was his.  I cherish it also because it is true and tells me about my real inheritance.

The pearl of great price

The gift of great value

The treasure worth seeking

Life 

in and through

YAHWEH / JEHOVAH

God Himself.