Monday, May 18, 2009

Let's Raise Our Ebenezer...

We talked some at yesterday's SoHills Refresh gathering about an Ebenezer stone. In fact, I brought in a stone (which several people reminded me I lifted the wrong way--"Lift with your knees, not your back") which we named an "Ebenezer"... which means "stone of hope."

1 Samuel 7 provides us with the story of the original Ebenezer stone. Samuel's naming of the stone was followed by this pronouncement in verse 12: "The Lord has helped us to this point."

Samuel's raising of the Ebenezer stone took place on the heels of what appeared to be an impending disaster for the Israelites... and another expression of God's faithulness as He rescued them. The Ebenezer became a reference point, a touchstone, from which the Israelites could look back on the unwavering faithfulness of God. And from the vantage point of the Ebenezer stone, the Israelites could face the future with a confidence built on the solid rock of God's enduring faithfulness.

I encourage you to join me in raising your own Ebenezer... declaring that we serve a God who has been faithful on all counts in our lives.