12 STONES IN THE RIVER

When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the Ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

8 And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the Lord told Joshua. And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged and laid them down there. 9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant had stood; and they are there to this day. (Joshua Chapter 4)

My former co-counselor, Sherri N., once sent me a greeting card unlike any greeting card I’d ever received. The front bore a painting of an Indian maiden and a wolf. 

As I opened it up, I read the following caption.

“Your dreams are my dreams, my friend.
And I will carry them with me.
Believing in you for all of my days,
And to the ends of the earth.”

Well, needless to say after I read these words once, twice and thrice, I just sat there in awe. 

Among all the praises, congratulations, thanks and encouragement I have ever received as a counselor, professor and mentor, this has to be among my favorites of all time.

The Written Word

There’s just so much ‘there there’ in it; for it has the wherewithal to keep on giving long after the writer has passed from the earth.

Speaking of the written word, I once committed to paper the words one of my interns, Rita S., shared with me.

“Dr. Bill, I don’t want to disappoint you. I’ll go for you when you can no longer go. I’ll speak for you when you can no longer speak. I’ll reach, teach and keep people in your name; long after you have passed from the earth.”

(Just another example of ‘my favorite words of all time’)
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As I write these words (re. words) I happen to be listening to my favorite radio program, “Night Sounds” and the host, the late Bill Pearce, just alluded to the name of tonight’s program. 

“I Didn’t Do It”

Well, much like the title of this radio segment, …I didn’t do it; since anything good I’ve ever done, I have done in the power of the Holy Spirit. While I realize Sherri and Rita have, in the context of their words, bestowed wonderful implicative compliments upon me for the time and efforts I had lavished upon them in years gone by, it has been such an opportunity and privilege and blessing to do so. 

Speaking of a self-congratulatory mindset, my wife once suggested I put all the greeting cards and notes I’d collected through the years into an album. Initially it seemed to me to be an altogether vain idea, and one which the humble Jesus would have Himself nay-sayed during His tenure on this planet. 

However, it occurred to me that it was not for nothing that these dozens upon dozens of my clients and interns and friends have written such loving expressions. Every reminiscence represents a ‘life that was changed’ and will to my descendants be very much like those twelve stones which God commanded the Jews to place in the Jordan River. A memorial recounted in His everlasting Word. A remembrance of what great things the Almighty had done for them.

What amazing things God has wrought in my own life. What a wondrous opportunity He has given me; to not only impact my own generation, but generations, yet unborn, who will glean from the words I have entrusted to them.

And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.

 By William McDonald, PhD. From (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Vol. 45. Copyright pending

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