Ebenezer, Stone of Help

‘If the LORD had not been on our side…’ – Psalm 124:1

In 1 Samuel Chapter seven, the people of Israel decided to turn back to the LORD and they did all that Prophet Samuel had commanded them to do; that is, to rid themselves of false idols and to choose to worship only the Living God. Samuel then assembled all Israelites at Mizpah in order to intercede for them. While at Mizpah, they all repented before the LORD and confessed their sins. 

When the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they marched towards them. When the Israelites heard that the Philistines were coming to attack them, they were filled with fear since they were not able to defend themselves. They cried to Samuel to intercede to God on their behalf so that they won’t fall into the hands of the Philistines. 

 

Samuel made a whole burnt offering to the LORD, and he prayed on behalf of Israelites and God heard him. As the Philistines were drawing near to engage in battle, the LORD thundered with a loud thunder against the Philistines that caused them to panic and threw them into confusion. Seeing what had happened, the Israelites pursued the Philistines and slaughtering them along the way. After the defeat of the Philistines, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer (Stone of Help) saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” – 1 Samuel 7:12

Looking back, how did you get this far? It is important to consider that this far you’ve reached it is not because of your own hard-work, your intellect, your work or your family but because of the presence of God in your life. Very often, people forget that it is God who’s been doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. 

In so many ways God has helped us, He came through for us when we desperately needed assistance; when we thought we’ve reached the end, He made a way. And as we walked through unfamiliar territories in life, it was God who guided us through. And yet we hardly take a moment to think about His goodness and meditate on them, and to praise Him and thank Him for loving and caring for us.

If it wasn’t for the help of God, the Philistines would have crushed the Israelites. They were stronger, well equipped and came in large numbers. But God was on their side. So many times when we look back in life, we only focus on that period when we got hurt, when a friend betrayed us, when we made mistakes, or period of failures but we don’t see the numerous times when God really came through for us.

David says in Psalm 124, “If the LORD had not been on our side…” Take a moment to think about it and ask yourself this: ‘If the LORD had not been on my side, where would I be?’ Probably I would have been dead by now, or my enemies would have finished me, or that illness would taken me to the ground or I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing right now or I wouldn’t have the people who really care about me.

Samuel saw that it was important to set up a stone to mark a time when God helped them during their time of need. We need to go back in time – so to speak- and recognized those moments when God helped us in our time of need and set up the Stones of Help. When we remember such time of God’s help, we need to come to God with praises and thanksgiving and say: “Praise be to the LORD for He is good.” It’s important that we recognize that it’s been God all along who’s been moving things in our favor. It has never been our strength, or luck or anything but God’s hand working in our lives.

Most of the time, we lie to ourselves when we boast, ‘I did it on my own.’ or ‘I am self-made’, and yet we forget that it is God who gives the strength and the ability to do what we do. Rather than bragging on ourselves, we ought to brag more about God. We should be bragging more about God saying: “God has been faithful in my life, I have seen God’s goodness in my life, I have made this far because of the Mercies of the LORD God, I did it through God’s strength or I am alive out of God’s love. He’s awesome, forgiving, God remembers me, He knows my name, He gives me fresh Grace each morning.”

Do you remember the ‘stone of help’ in your life? Rather than focusing your mind on what is not working, or the pain, the hurt, or what you are going through, just take a moment to really look back and give thanks to God for His goodness and His faithfulness in your life. God is Ebenezer, your Stone of Help.