"Samuel took a stone and set it up . . . and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.” (1 Samuel 7:12)
At this season of thankfulness, I want to take a few minutes here on the blog to 'raise an Ebenezer'. If you're not familiar with the term, you're not alone. Until my Pastor's sermon this past Sunday, I wasn't either. The meaning of Ebenezer originates more than 1000 years before Christ. It means stone of help. "To commemorate God’s mighty intervention on behalf of his people, Samuel wanted the people to remember, not just for a few days, but for years, for decades, for generations, how God had come to the rescue of his people when they humbled themselves before him. They were vulnerable, with their enemies approaching, and they did not deserve God’s rescue, having been chronically unfaithful. And yet, God intervened to help." (https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/here-i-raise-my-ebenezer) Pastor Lee encouraged the congregation to take a stone from a bowl on the altar and use it as a reminder of times in our life when God was there to help. He took the task a step further and encouraged everyone to write the story of such incidences and then share the story with someone....and raise an Ebenezer to forever memorialize those times God has helped.
At this season of thankfulness, I want to take a few minutes here on the blog to 'raise an Ebenezer'. If you're not familiar with the term, you're not alone. Until my Pastor's sermon this past Sunday, I wasn't either. The meaning of Ebenezer originates more than 1000 years before Christ. It means stone of help. "To commemorate God’s mighty intervention on behalf of his people, Samuel wanted the people to remember, not just for a few days, but for years, for decades, for generations, how God had come to the rescue of his people when they humbled themselves before him. They were vulnerable, with their enemies approaching, and they did not deserve God’s rescue, having been chronically unfaithful. And yet, God intervened to help." (https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/here-i-raise-my-ebenezer) Pastor Lee encouraged the congregation to take a stone from a bowl on the altar and use it as a reminder of times in our life when God was there to help. He took the task a step further and encouraged everyone to write the story of such incidences and then share the story with someone....and raise an Ebenezer to forever memorialize those times God has helped.