The Bible tells of some of the father’s of the faith setting up stones to remember miraculous things that God did for them. Jacob, Moses, and Joshua all set up stones to remember God’s great works.
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” 1 Samuel 7:12
Samuel used this Ebenezer to remember that God helped them defeat the Philistines. I like the idea of an Ebenezer. I think having something to remember what God has done in our lives helps us to keep our minds on Him instead of on the earthly things in front of us.
The idea of an Ebenezer even made it into the song “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”
Here I raise my Ebenezer
Here there by Thy great help I’ve come
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
I have heard the idea of preaching the gospel to ourselves daily. This is a way to remember and give ourselves proper perspective in our daily lives about what Jesus did for us. It can be hard to look past what is right in front of us to see what Jesus’s work on the cross did for us. I think when we set up Ebenezers in our lives, we can better remember what God has done for us in the past and that He is still here with us in the present.
David is a perfect example of this in the Psalms. He pours his heart out to God and tells God about the circumstances right in front of him. Then he starts telling of all the times God has been there for him.
Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account”?
But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked man;
call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not otherwise be found out.
The Lord is King for ever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.
You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that mere earthly mortals
will never again strike terror.
Psalm 10:12-18
We recently put up our Christmas tree and I couldn’t help but think of the idea of an Ebenzer as we were doing it. My favorite Christmas decoration by far is the tree. The reason for that is because it is like taking a walk down memory lane every year. We have bought an ornament every year signifying what that year meant for our family and our lives as a couple. We have ornaments from our year of dating; all of our children’s first Christmases; when we bought our house; the year we read The Bible all the way through as a couple; etc. When I look at that tree I am reminded of where we have been. I am reminded of God’s faithfulness and His grace. We have grown so much since we bought that first ornament the year we were dating. It is the bunny couple from Bambi and it says, “Twitterpated,” a favorite for sure! I know that God’s grace is what has brought us to this place and it is His grace that will lead us in the future.
What about you? What Ebenezers do you have in your life? How do you remember God’s faithfulness and grace?