Given: the Baby Boomer generation is quite large.
Given: As children, many of those Boomers accompanied their parents to church.
Given: Many readers of this blog belong to that fine group!
Therefore, the following lyrics may sound familiar to you.
Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing thy grace…
Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
Hither by thy help I’m come.
While singing this energizing hymn in the church of my youth, I wondered more than once, What on earth is an Ebenezer? But by the time I arrived home, my mind was on the roast beef in the oven or the comics in the paper.
So, for any of you who live with a curious mind (albeit forgetful) as I do, here it is finally—an explanation of that puzzling term, raising an Ebenezer.
The answer is hiding in the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel. During this period of Israel’s history, their archenemy was the Philistines.
The prophet, Samuel, explained the way to victory. “Rid yourselves of the foreign gods, and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines,” Samuel said (7:3).
The people obeyed the word of the Lord, given through the prophet, Samuel. God did indeed come to the rescue. “The Lord thundered…against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites” (v. 10).
In celebration of the victory, Samuel took a stone and set it up as a memorial of what God had done that day. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the Lord helped us” (v. 12). The word, Ebenezer, means “stone of help.”
Every time an Israelite walked by that memorial, he would be reminded of God’s miraculous help against the Philistines that day. It would bring to mind the faithfulness and goodness of the Lord to his children.
Years ago I read about a family who kept a special rock collection in a glass jar, up on a bookshelf. On each flat stone, in permanent ink, was recorded a brief description of a special event that demonstrated God’s power and goodness to their family. They raised their own Ebenezers. The jar of stones represented the ways thus far the Lord had helped them (1 Samuel 7:12).
I don’t have such a jar of river stones. What a lovely tradition! But I do have a blessings journal, started in 1983. I’ve mentioned this collection before. Recorded within its pages are the wonderful, miraculous works God has accomplished for our family. The number of entries is now approaching nine hundred.
A few samples:
1985 – We were in need of some furniture; the choir director of our church “just happened” to have some in storage. Most of it was exactly what we needed.
1991 – My daughter and I were almost involved in a 4-car pile-up on an expressway entrance ramp. God protected us.
1994 – ‘Came out of the mall, after shopping for an hour, and discovered I’d left on the lights of the car. I prayed; God answered. The car started up just fine.
1998 – Our son, who never had much use for school, made the dean’s list.
2003 – That same son was working for a dying business, and his paycheck was ten days past due. A friend offered him a job in their family business at the same salary, and allowed him to start immediately.
2008 – We attended an out-of-state wedding at which a small acappella ensemble sang. I thought, Wouldn’t it be fun to sing in such a group. Less than two months later, that’s exactly what I was doing! Our church choir director invited me to join a quintet he had been inspired to form.
2011 – We needed a china cabinet and hutch. While visiting the home of a friend, I couldn’t help but notice theirs—the exact style I would have liked. But M. had found hers at a thrift store and refurbished it. What were the chances we’d find a similar one? A month later, at a warehouse of estate sale finds, our china cabinet was waiting for us—very similar to M.’s.
Come to think of it, perhaps it’s a good thing I haven’t used rocks for our nine hundred Ebenezers. They’d never fit in a jar! For us, numerous pages in a notebook prove that “thus far the Lord has helped us (1 Samuel 7:12).”
And, no doubt, the Ebenezer-collection will continue to grow. God isn’t finished with us yet.
* * * * * * * * * *
What Ebenezers can you raise, that prove thus far the Lord has helped you? Share an example in the Comments section, to encourage the rest of us.
From the Inside Out 
My Ebenezer at the moment is that there is a chemo treatment for pregnant women that does not cross the placenta. What a miracle!! Without it, our unborn grandchild would be in danger and Grammy would be a nervous mess.
YES! YES! You have a whole church praying for your family, Grace. May God’s stabilizing, calming presence bring you through each day of this stressful time.
In 1967 Byron’s work went on a strike, much to our dismay. We had very little money. The day after the strike began, a dear women from our church called and asked if I would fill in for her for 6 weeks as secretary to the principal at a school near by our home. That job along with many odd jobs Byron took and the generous gifts given, just as we needed them, got us through that difficult period. The Lord does provide.
What a powerful example of God’s provision! Those circumstances represent a large-size Ebenezer! Thank you for sharing, Lois.
My Ebenezers are recorded in the form of journaling. To me journaling becomes a pile of rocks of special memories & God’s blessings.
You are a wonderful model of keeping record of one’s spiritual journey. Just out of curiosity, how many journals do you have, Patti?
In my travels, I collected special large rocks. The travels were a blessing. I saw amazing places God created. Mountains, rivers, parks. Architech of buildings, especailly churchs that were breathtaking. Today, I look at those rocks and they bring up fine memories.
One day I talked with our Parish Nurse and told her we need a Caregiver’s Support Group in our church. She said that would be great and I could be the facilitator. I told her I could not do that, she said you surely can. She had more confidence in me than I did myself. So, the Caregiver’s Support was inititated, and it has be a blessing and one of the best experiences I have had in my life. God has helped every step of the way.
I have been blessed with many Ebenezers. All I need to do is remember
that God is my help and hope.
Thanks again Nancy for your blog.
Thank you, Laura, for sharing your Ebenezer. You are such a blessing to those whom you serve! And isn’t our Heavenly Father gracious to bless us in the serving?
P.S. I am so pleased that you find the blog worthwhile!
An Ebenezer journal! What a great idea. With tears in my eyes, I write this. I have been praying for my son and his family to find their ministry. Praise The Lord, he has provided their first full time church position. He has a few online seminary classes to finish, but they are on their way. The tears are because God is moving them to California. Hopefully, the tears will dry as I keep praising
God for answered prayer. (#1 Who knew I would START keeping track at my age?)
Sometimes good news and sad news do come in the same package. May God bless you, Rita, with joyful fulfillment, to see your son’s family embark on church ministry. May He infuse you with strength and comfort to endure the miles of separation. And may he grant the funds to cover jet fare now and then! In Jesus’ powerful, loving name, Amen.
Nancy, last week we faced the possibility of losing our son for the second time in his life. God was with him, the wonderful medical team who ministered to him… and most certainly with us. The week ended on a much more positive note than we had through possible.
Miracles still happen and I can’t praise God enough for His intervention. He sure knows our needs and responds on a timely basis.
Oh, what GREAT news, Ruth! God is INDEED still performing miracles. We “rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given to you and your house” (Deuteronomy 26:11). Thank you for sharing your “Ebenezer”–we’ll continue to pray for your son’s complete restoration to vitality and strength.
How interesting. I never knew that about Ebenezer and then you took that verse and applied it to us here and now. This is a great post and one i will remember!
Thank you, Jean, for your kind words. You graciously nudge me forward in this writing-endeavor!
First of all, Nancy, I love this song but have always wondered,too, what ‘raising my Ebenezer’ meant. Thank you for this kind service 🙂 I have many, many, far too many rocks collected from rivers and oceans and mountains in jars and containers on my bookshelves, outside on the deck……..anyway. A rock of blessing? I’m awful at details but in general will declare that since my husband retired last July and we’ve had 2/3 of the income we used to (minus a mortgage) that we have had more than we needed each month and enough to give away. That is something to raise a praise for. Thanks for asking.
Hallelujah for every need our God supplies (Philippians 4:19). My faith grows every time I hear a story like yours–how God takes what we have and makes it stretch far beyond what logic would support. Something like the loaves and fishes, isn’t it?
Ideas for next blog:
What’s a fetter?
What’s a Bulwark?
What’s wormwood and the gall?
What’s a verdant?
What’s a riven?
I could go on. But I won’t. You’re welcome.
LOL, Jeremy–I’ll put those ideas on the list of possible topics. Thanks for your help!
Last September 28 I retired after nearly 40 years at CenturyLink. I keep in touch with former co-workers, one of whom forwarded an email she had received from Human Resources stating that only active employees would be eligible for a ‘bonus’ based upon result achievements from last year. I was disappointed, of course, but didn’t give it another thought. Then last week I received a letter in the mail from CenturyLink stating that I would be receiving a bonus of such-and-such amount of money that would be direct-deposted into my checking account. Needless to say, I was thrilled, especially since I am still working on budgeting myself as a retiree and had numerous quarterly bills coming due. The Lord was, indeed, looking out for me! A ‘stone of help’ provided by my Saviour. I’m so happy to know what the Ebenezer was all about! I’ve always loved that song and it means even more knowing the meaning… Thanks so much. The Lord blesses me through your blog.
What a fantastic story of God’s provision, Cheri. Thank you so much for sharing. It blesses me to know that God blesses you through this blog. (Have I said that before?! Oh, well. Mutual blessing is worth highlighting more than once!)