My jar of mustard seeds

As one who grew up in close proximity to Washington, DC, I am accustomed to monuments. The Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the War Memorial were everyday sights. Now, with the newly erected Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. monument, there is even more reason to visit and experience the history and pride that the monuments represent.

As I was reading the book of Joshua for my devotions this morning, I came across the passage where God commands the children of Israel to erect a memorial in remembrance of their crossing over the Jordan (Joshua 4:1-9). God tells Joshua that the purpose of the memorial is so that their children will know what God did for them.

“So that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever.” Joshua 4:6-7(NRSV)

As I reflected on this passage, I wondered, how many of us have memorials or reminders in our homes of what God has done in our lives that will spark discussions with our children about the Lord? A picture, a Christian symbol such as a cross, or just about anything can serve as a reminder and opportunity to discuss the faithfulness of God with our children. These monuments can be used to build up their faith. We have several reminders in our home that we serve the Lord. My favorite is my jar of mustard seeds. It’s a decorative jar that I put together for our wedding to remind our guests that it only takes faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain (Matthew 17:20). Prayerfully, when K’s older, he’ll take notice of it and ask what it means. If my husband and I do our job as godly parents, we won’t have to explain what it means. He’ll already know. Either way, it’s a reminder that we serve the Lord.

A few years ago, I took a group of children, who lived in Washington, DC, to the National Mall where most of the monuments and museums are housed. One child didn’t recognize any of the monuments and actually thought we had traveled to a different state. As Christian parents, we never want our children ignorant of our monuments and what they mean. They are a testimony to what God has done and will do in the lives of His children.

What are some ways you pay homage to the Lord in your home?