Last weekend I attended the 125th Reunion of Maurertown Brethern Church which is my childhood church. So many memories of Sunday School, Christmas performances, memorization of Bible scripture, gathering flowers for the altar, baptisms and revival services. So many have gone to heaven who made the church grow and were pillars (rocks). Dr. Fred Finks of Ashland Theological Seminary spoke about those memories and tied it into the remembrances of the people of the second crossing of the Jordan into the promise land mentioned in Joshua 4: 19-24 NIV
19 On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. 20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea [a] when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”
Poetic Reflection of Sermon by Rena (Raynor) K. Oynes
Marching onward with faces set as a flint
The Israelites full of faith followed the priest and arc
Into the whirling, Spring flood waters of the Jordan
Trekking across on dry land.
Above the sound of the waters
Their praises soared to the Lord on high
At last as a remembrance, the priest didn’t want to forget
So with a Heave Ho!
They took upon their shoulders a river rock for each tribe
Forming a memorial to praise the Lord.
Little gods that day, hid in the folds of peoples pockets
Where cast to the earth
For the Rock – God Almighty ruled that day
Through the troubled waters.
We must like the Israelites
Decide to follow Jesus
Through troubled waters that He is able to take us through
On dry land to the promise land
So decide today to follow Him who is the power
The glory and might.
thedailylily.com 
Sounds like one church has stayed steady through the history of 125 years. Congratulations to the saints of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Hey, didn’t I just read a poem by Dot right here on the lily with that title, “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Must be a message to stay steady…
My son was sharing with me just tonight how important it is for us to remain steady on the daily lily. It is easy to run and dart here and there but most difficult to stay the course. As above scripture says, “so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”
Good advice from your son, Sara who is qualified to speak about steadiness. I understand that both of your sons stayed steady, diligently training over the course of many months, then ran and finished the Marine Marathon this year.
I think they, like the pillars (rocks) that Rena wrote about above, illustrate stability.
Out of the mouths of babes comes wisdom and truths. Train up a child in the way that his bent demonstrates and when he gets older he will not depart. I know your sons were raised with wisdom and truth. That’s what went into their eargate. And as you have taught, Sara, they partnered with W & T (wisdom & truth) and they have become owners of it. To prove that theorem, behold!! they have bloomed into young men of integrity and stability, as Debi says, and diligence to do well.
When we visit Pea Ridge, NC for our retreat activities, we at times visit another little faithful church, Piney Grove. She, likewise, has been waving her flag of expression for over 100 years, as well.
Their is no doubt in our nation we have many churches of centennial age that has remained a building. The stories of the saints remaining and passing the baton is what will count “when the roll is called up yonder.”
In the Joshua text, the words that stand out, ‘the people went up’…be able to explain what the faithfulness of the people mean. This is the story to give daily and leave a stone for the next generation to stand upon and labor with expression of a church without spot or wrinkle.
I am sure the Israelites wobbled around just as we do at times. Wobble but stand, it is.
The Little Brown Church in the Vale. Wonderful saints of God. Because of the work of the Cross of Christ, and the promise that He would build His church and the Gates of Hell would not prevail against it…stands true to this day. And your blog, Rena, gives testimony to that. Just like the precious church in Piney Grove, NC…the LITTLE BROWN CHURCH IN THE VALE. Faithful servants of the Lord…faithful through the generations…teaching the Word of God to their children and their children’s children. Praying for the saints of the Body of Christ. It conjures up the yearning for that pure Gospel, that koininea, that fellowship of believers who serve the living God by their life style and in their brotherly love for one another, in good deeds and helping the poor.
That is the Gospel story of the Lord’s work on this earth. of “yesterday”. And that Gospel is the same Gopsel, today but the mode of putting forth the Gospel has changed. Now we preach through cyberspace, through, raido, TV, cds, dvds, movies, computer and a myriad of electronic equipment that will send the Gospel message of tomorrow even to the ends of the earth.
What an exciting time to live as children of God in the body of Christ on earth and in Heaven.
Alrighty mom! so i’m finally posting something on the daily lily. I wasn’t sure where else i could post something other than to comment on something you had already written so Happy Mothers Day Mom 🙂
Thank you Jon. I hope you will drop by frequently and read and be fed by the WORD given out here on thedailylily.
Say, Jon, you have pleased and honored your mom by taking time to comment on thedailylily.org, a Gospel trupeting blog that is sounded daily, around the globe. Please do accept the invitation to write and comment. There is so much to read and discuss and write about the Lord Jesus Chrsit our soon-coming KING.
Thanks for your comments.
Rena wrote in her poem:”We must like the Israelites
Decide to follow Jesus
Through troubled waters that He is able to take us through
On dry land to the promise land
So decide today to follow Him who is the power
The glory and might.”
Some friends of mine that just finished a year of Divinity School said, “the main thing I learned is OBEDIENCE is the Way!” One said, “I’m ending with a fine GPA and the most important thing that I’m taking away from Divinity School is … walking in obedience is the BEST feeling ever.”