Afterwards, Samuel took a stone and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, explaining, "The LORD has helped us to this point." So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israel's territory again. The LORD's hand was against the Philistines all of Samuel's life. The cities from Ekron to Gath, which they had taken from Israel, were restored; Israel even rescued their surrounding territories from Philistine control. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites. (1 Samuel 7:12-14)
The word Ebenezer is a Hebrew word, which means “Stone of Help.” The context is when the Israelites finally defeated the Philistines, and took back the Ark of the Covenant. To remember their victory, Samuel set up a marker-stone, naming it "Stone of Help.”
An Ebenezer is a reminder of God’s presence and divine aid in our lives. Spiritually and theologically speaking, an Ebenezer can be nearly anything that reminds us of God’s presence and help: those things which serve as reminders of God’s love both for us and for our families.
This Thanksgiving let’s give thanks to God for the wonderful Ebenezers that God has given us in our lives! We’ve got a special opportunity for you and your family to be involved in during our Thanksgiving Service on Sunday morning, November 23. This week we would like for you and your family to prepare your own Ebenezer to bring to the service on the 23rd. It can literally be a “stone of help” on which you could write family bible verses and passages that are meaningful to you or could it be something else that is symbolic of a way that God has delivered your family or shown himself faithful to you over the years. During the service this Sunday we will have a time for your family to bring your Ebenezer forward and for us as a congregation to give thanks to God together.
May each and every one of us always be blessed by the grace and peace of Jesus Christ through the Ebenezers that God has placed in our lives!
No comments:
Post a Comment