Our Ebenezers - Signs of God's Faithfulness

“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the Lord helped us.”
(I Samuel 7:12).

In Scripture stones were sometimes used a symbols of God’s faithfulness. Whether it was deliverance from or victory over their enemies, stones were visual reminders of what God had done in the past and an encouragment to trust Him for the future.

I once experienced a great example of this concept. Our former church was celebrating its 25th anniversary. The pastor asked every family to bring in an item symbolizing some way in which the church had significantly impacted their lives for God. It was a beautiful thing to see all the “stones” that people brought and to relive great shared memories. As I look back over my own life, sometimes I am tempted to only dwell on the painful memories. But I can also choose to remember how the Lord has brought me through each of these experiences, using them to draw me into a deeper and more faithful relationship with Him.

Many times my old fearful nature still struggles within me. When I think of the future I wonder how I will survive my health struggles, and honestly - at that moment - may not even want to try. That is when I need to remember all that God has done for me. For a visual reminder I bought a bag of small stones. I have placed them in certain places to help me remember what the Lord has done throughout my life – on my nightstand, in my makeup drawer, in my wallet, in my car, on the kitchen windowsill. When I seem them I remember God’s faithfulness. He will not fail me now, regardless of what lies ahead. Taking one day at a time and remembering my Ebenezer stones, I am clinging to God - the Rock of my salvation.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, just as the Ebenezers in my life are signs of Your faithfulness to me, so may I be a faithful “living stone” in Your kingdom as I represent You to those around me (I Peter 2:5). Amen.