Text: 1 Samuel 7:1-17
“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
Cindy and I have had a tradition of collecting memorial stones over the years. Each stone represents a circumstance in which God has showed us His gracious provision or a season of trial in which He brought us through faithfully. Some of the stones have ministry significance like camps God has enabled us to start for at-risk kids, a basketball court built for orphans in the Dominican Republic, or international partnerships that have served to proclaim Jesus to the ends of the earth. Each “Ebenezer” stone has a special meaning that points to God as our faithful provider.
The idea for these Ebenezer stones comes from 1 Samuel 7:1-17, where the prophet of God took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the LORD has helped us” (v12). Samuel built this altar to the Lord, a memorial of stone that signified a “God-only” breakthrough for Israel. The word “Ebenezer” literally means “stone of help.” Samuel wanted the people to remember, not just for a few days, but for decades and generations how God had come to the rescue of his people when they humbled themselves before him.
Though Israel had witnessed the miraculous power and supernatural presence of God in the past; the hearts of the people had drifted into a season of unfaithfulness and spiritual backsliding. The priesthood had lost its sanctity when Eli’s sons defiled the temple (1 Samuel 2:12-17), and the whole nation spiraled into idolatry. In chapter 4 we see where “The glory of the Lord had departed” and there was a great slaughter when Israel lost 30,000 foot soldiers in a single battle with the Philistines. The Philistines then captured the ark of the Lord and brought it into their own land, but that didn’t work out very well for them, as God sent them a terrible plague. Even though Israel had failed God He still wasn’t going to allow the Philistines to steal His glory. For Isaiah 42:8 decrees “I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other.” So in a panic they sent the ark back to Israel. Then Samuel lead the people in a process of repentance and renewal. They got their breakthrough and it was on. The enemy was now on the run!
“Ebenezer” moments are those significant times in our lives when God grants us breakthroughs over spiritual oppression, daunting circumstances, and insurmountable odds; or when the LORD divinely orchestrates a specific provision in our lives for which He alone deserves the glory. These are moments God wants us to remember, and memorialize. Too many of us are guilty of remembering what doesn’t matter and having spiritual amnesia with the things that should be remembered. But Psalm 105 exhorts us to: “Give thanks to the LORD! … Make known His deeds among the peoples! … Talk of all His wondrous works! … Remember His marvellous works which He has done, His wonders.”
“Ebenezer” moments speak of those times in our lives when only God could’ve gotten us through. Only His presence could’ve brought us thus far. Ebenezer moments are those times when God turns our backsliding into wholehearted devotion; our defeat into something victorious; our pain into something redemptive; our test into a testimony; our present need into a lasting memorial that will forever point to His awesome intervention in the affairs of our lives. God may want you to have an “Ebenezer” moment right now.
Maybe your Ebenezer moment is about detachment. Just as Samuel gathered the people at Mizpah, perhaps the Holy Spirit wants to bring you to a place of separation or repentance. We know from Bible history that Mizpah is where Jacob separated from Laban (Genesis 31:49) and was the gathering place for a repentant Israel in Judges 20:1. Mizpah was a place remembered for separation and repentance. Mizpah is the place where we make an altering decision: I’m not going to live in this sin anymore. I’m not going to stay in this bondage. I’ve got to walk away from my love affair with the world and cling to Jesus in reckless abandon.
Maybe your Ebenezer moment is about alignment—like re-aligning yourself with a biblical mindset, a Christ-like attitude, or a right perspective of your circumstances. You’ve been judging the size of your God too much in proportion to the stature of your giants, rather than measuring the size of your giants in proportion to the ENORMITY and MAGNITUDE and AWESOMENESS of your GOD… it’s time for realignment… a shift in your perspective.
Maybe your Ebenezer moment is about surrender. You’re trying to control a situation, micromanage relationships, or manufacture favorable outcomes in ways God never intended for you to control. You’re trying to fix it yourself or be someone else’s “messiah” and you’re stressed. It’s time to let go, and let the real Messiah take over. Relinquish control over what doesn’t belong to you—people, processes, results, outcomes, and give it to God.
Maybe your Ebenezer moment is more about REMEBRANCE. God has come through for you over and over again and lately you’ve taken His faithfulness for granted. Rather than telling of His wondrous deeds you’ve simply moved on to the next challenge, the next problem to solve, the next mountain to conquer, the next mission to accomplish. Maybe God wants you to take some time to slow down, pause, reflect, and remember. Take out a pen and a journal and begin writing out all those times that God blew your mind and you failed to memorialize it in a way that you should have. Then resolve that you will memorialize it moving forward.
PRAYER
Gracious Lord, thank You for all that You have done in my life. Forgive me for those times when I have failed to remember and memorialize your faithfulness in ways that I should have. Teach me how to do that more devotedly in the days to come. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for personal reflection, small group discussion, or dinner table conversations:
- What do you suppose would provoke people all over the country suddenly to turn to God?
- Although the ark was again within the borders of Israel, what was the mood of the subdued Israelites? (1 Samuel 7:2) How did Samuel define “returning to the Lord with all your hearts”? (v.3)
- What was God’s promise if Israel would rid itself of idolatry? (v.3) What were three significant actions taken by the people of Israel in the process of repenting? (v.6) What was the significance of the stone Samuel set up between Mizpah and Shen? (v.12) Why did Samuel see Israel’s repentance and abandonment of idols as a necessary first step to their military deliverance?
- What are some of the concrete ways we can demonstrate that we are returning to the Lord with all our hearts?
- How could you, figuratively, set up an “Ebenezer” stone to create a small reminder of a particular instance of God’s unmerited favor so that you remember to praise Him for it?
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