Remember when the Israelites crossed the Jordan and took stones from the riverbed and made a memorial? 

Remember as in remember reading it.  Okay, good.  The stones were to serve as a rememberance of how God had been faithful to His word.  The Jordan river stood up in a heap on both sides and they all passed over on dry ground.  Just as God had promised them.  (Josh 3:13-4:8).

Sometimes we need memorials in our personal lives.  We need to mark the moments when God’s promises come true.

Today is such a day in my life.  It’s my last day of classes.  I’m through with medical school.  I made it. 

God came through on His promise to me. 

I clearly remember the Sunday morning when I felt the calm, quiet reassurance that I was going to make it through medical school.  I was at my parents’ for the weekend during my very first semester.  The minister had preached a sermon about God being able to meet our needs and that we needed to trust in Him.  A simple message, a tall order.  I gathered around the front with the others and presented God with my one overriding need at that moment: medical school.  It was a simple prayer, but it came from an overwhelmed heart.  I actually just reminded God that He had called me to do this, and that I needed Him to help me make it through.  By “make it through” I meant pass.  And just as quickly as I presented my need to Him, His promise came echoing back.  It wasn’t an audible voice, but it was an absolute certainity that I was going to make it – and that I was going to make it whole and intact spiritually, physically, and emotionally.  I asked to make passing grades; He said I was going to come out of it whole. 

And I have.  I’m standing here today, more certain than ever that God is faithful and that He will carry you when you can’t move forward on your own. 

It hasn’t been without cost.  I’ve seen a lot of pain and I’ve had some low times.  The mountain top highs have been shorter than the low valleys in some ways.  I’ve paid a bit of a price.  But I made it.  I’m whole.  My walk with God is stronger than ever.  I even have a GPA I’m okay with. 

God’s promises are true.  I’ve seen them come to pass in my life.

This is my memorial, these words.  That diploma will serve as a nice reminder as well; not of my success, but of God’s faithfulness.

About 2 years ago, God gave me another promise for the entirety of my medical training and career.  This is the promise that I’m claiming and expecting to see fulfilled as I go forward:

“And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.  And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.” Joel 2:25-26 KJV

I’m planning on building some more memorials in the future.