A Life Well-Lived, Part 12; Why these stones?

When God did something Really Big in scripture, He often wanted it memorialized with stones.

In the book of Joshua, when God parted the Jordan River for his people to walk across into the Promised Land, Joshua told 12 men to pick up one stone each from the riverbed and bring it across to the other side. While the water in the river was still backed up, Joshua piled up 12 stones in the middle of the river for a memorial. Then the priests walked out of the river and God gave the signal to the water to once again overflow its banks. The twelve men with the twelve stones carried them to the place they would camp for the night. There Joshua stacked them up and announced (paraphrased): “When your children ask their parents in years to come, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’ You will tell them what a great thing the Lord your God did at the Jordan River. Do this so that all of the people of the earth may know how strong is the power of the Lord, and so that all of you will worship Him forever.” Joshua 4:21-24

When your children and grand-children ask about this stone at McLain Cemetery, tell them the stories of the abundant, joy-filled life Timothy lived, the love he poured out, and the amazing things he accomplished; but more importantly, point them to the Source of his strength - the God he served - who did great works through a young man who wasn’t afraid to let Him.

“Those who belong to God shall live again. Their bodies shall rise again! Those who dwell in the dust shall awake and sing for joy! For God’s light of life will fall like dew upon them!” Isaiah 26:19

“The dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16

“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb … the angels said, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, He is risen!’” Luke 24:2, 5-6