Standing Stones

Standing Stones in the river at Hebron Falls, Julian Price Picnic Area, NC

That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them, Joshua 4:6-7a.

Hebron Falls 1.4 miles to the right. That’s what the trail sign read. “Take us about an hour, my guess,” I said.

“Quarter to 5 now. Let’s go,” my husband answered.

The trail was easy through a meadow, then we went into the woods. Roots began to cover the trail; mud, streams, rocky ledges. I know why we are suppose to hike with a buddy. I needed Rick’s hand to pull me over rocks! I hoped this fall was going to be worth it.

Finally we could hear the fall tumbling below. A sign: Hebron Falls with the arrow pointing downward. Here we went again. At the bottom we looked up on a tumble of rocks with a stream running willy nilly through it. “Seen better,” Rick said. So had I. I took a few pictures with my cell phone and was about to leave when I spotted it.

“Look at that!” I exclaimed. There at the base of the falls in the middle of the rock pile was a man-made stack of small stones. “I bet there are 12 stones there.” I pointed, counting from a distance out loud. Sure enough 12 stones.

I don’t know who or why those 12 stones from the river were stacked at the base, but I do think they were put there for a reason. Maybe to commemorate something special on the hike. Maybe just to say I’m a Christian and I want others to think about God while they are here in His creation. Maybe none of these things, but to me it said, “Tell the story of what Jesus has done for you.” God commanded Joshua to have a leader from each tribe take a stone from the middle of the Jordan River and make a pile of standing stones so their children and generations to come would ask, “What mean ye by these stones?” God wanted the Israelites to pass on what great things God had done so their children would learn to have faith.

What great thing or things has God done for you that you would like to share so others might know how great a God we serve. Won’t you please leave a comment?