Awake and Alive

In the book of Joshua, we hear of a time when the Israelites were preparing to claim the inheritance God had promised to them 40 years earlier as they moved toward Canaan.  However, the Jordan River was at flood stage and they were unable to pass.  God commanded the ark be brought to the river and when the priest's foot reached the river, the waters receded and bunched up far upstream and dry ground appeared for all of Israel to cross over. 

As part of this crossing, God had each of the twelve tribes take a stone up from the riverbed, large enough and heavy enough to carry on their shoulders.  On the other side of the river God had them build a marker, a testimony of this safe passage and miraculous provision of God's faithfulness.  It was to be there so that generations would ask, upon seeing it, "Mother, father, what do these stones mean?"  It was to be a testament to God's faithfulness for them to remember for all time. 

One of our hopes for Awake and Alive and the 18-25-year-old generation is that these events might be spiritual mile markers for those that come.  That Jesus would be so clearly shown in our words and messages, our songs and services, and in our community, that people would leave remembering in their hearts what God put in them. 

Psalm 89:1-2: "I will sing of the Lord's great love forever, with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations!  I will declare that your love stands firm forever!"