Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

EBENEZER

February 4, 2011

The old hymn, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" announces, "Here I raise my Ebenezer, here by thy great help I come..." But what is it, an ebenezer? Turning to the Bible helps answer the question.

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 TNIV

In Hebrew, Ebenezer means "stone of help." And the people of God needed big help. Their enemies had overwhelmed them; the Philistines had stolen the ark of the covenant. Then, the people repented of their sins, renewed their promises to honor God with their lives, and the blessing of God returned to them. To which Samuel made a pile of rocks as a witness; an "ebenezer" to remind them all that God is their help.  A much bigger help than a pile of rocks!

Maybe it would be a good thing today for us to raise up a pile of rocks to remind us of the same staggering truth: God is our help.

Joyfully,

Dale Patterson