Today’s Reading:
Read Joshua 3- Joshua 4:17
Take a walk as a family and gather 12 stones. As you’re walking, take time to remember some of the key parts of the story of the Israelites. Today’s reading has some similarities that you won’t want to miss!
Remember God’s specific instructions about building the tabernacle? (Exodus 25:1-22). One of the pieces of the tabernacle that was built and traveled with the Israelites on their journey was the Ark of the Covenant (Ark of the Testimony.). The Ark was where God told the Israelites his presence would dwell. As they traveled, they followed the Ark of the Covenant as a way of symbolizing following God’s presence.
As the Israelites entered Jordan, they were reminded that when the Priests moved with the Ark of the Covenant they were to follow. In order to get to the Promised Land, they would have to travel across the Jordan River which was very wide and seemed impossible to get across. Still,the Israelites were following where the Priests led with the Ark. As they followed towards the Jordan River, something amazing happened. The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant walked straight into the Jordan River just as God had instructed. When they stopped, the Jordan River stopped flowing. (Sound familiar? Remember the Red Sea?). The Israelites were able to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land on dry land. As a way to remember what God had done for them at the Jordan River, each tribe sent one representative to pick one stone to build an altar. Keep in mind, these stones would have been on the riverbed at the bottom of the river. Had God not stopped the river from flowing, the Israelites would not have been able to gather the rocks at all. Isn’t that amazing? The purpose of the altar was to remind the Israelites and their children of how God provided for them on their trip to the Promised Land.
Joshua had led the people into the Promised Land. it was time for the Israelites to see God’s promises come true.
Application/Prayer:
Gather the stones you collected on your walk. (If you couldn’t find stones, find something that might represent stones) and have each member of your family write down a time or draw a picture of a time when God provided for them in a special way. Place the stones together somewhere your family can see them and remember to thank God for His provision.
March Memory Verse:
He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Matthew 4:4
Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:
- Bring your Bible! Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
- Each day starts with a reading prompt. Read the selection as a family. If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
- After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
- Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word! After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
- There is a reading for six days of the week. The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.
Other Resources:
March memory verse coloring sheet