Years ago my husband Steve and I lived in a small town outside Lexington, Kentucky. All through the area old stone walls stitch together fields and pastures into a landscape quilt. We often marveled at the workmanship as well as the time and effort required.
According to historians, the rocks were gathered out of the fields by Scot-Irish immigrants of the 1700s, who settled the area and needed to clear the land for farms. They used the same dry masonry skills of their ancestors back in the British Isles.
As decades passed new immigrants built more walls as did the slaves who followed.
(Similar walls in Ireland)
Those stone walls came to mind as I read again a story of Samuel, recorded in 1 Samuel 7:1-12. He set up a memorial stone in celebration of an Israelite victory over the Philistines. Samuel called it Ebenezer (which means Stone of Help), explaining that “thus far the Lord has helped us.”
Thus far in our lives the Lord has helped you and me also. And if we collected a rock to represent each time God has helped us, we’d surely accumulate enough to construct many walls, stitching together our experiences into a kingdom quilt—in the kingdom of God, that is.
And what a memorial it would be to God’s faithfulness!
As many of you know, I began a journal in 1983 of God’s faithfulness to our family—a record of his provision, protection, guidance, and blessing. To date there are nearly 1400 entries.
(Note how yellowed these early pages have become!)
If I gathered a Stone of Help for every event noted, I could build a wall ten stones high and nearly 140 feet long. No doubt a record of your life would produce a similar-sized wall, perhaps longer.
Imagine an aerial view of thousands of such walls criss-crossing the landscape—a visual reminder of God’s faithfulness to all of us. Our eyes would pop in wonder.
During this challenging year of 2020, God has demonstrated his faithfulness in numerous ways.
I am particularly thankful for:
- Sightings of wildlife that turn window glances into marvel fests
- Family and friends within easy reach through various forms of technology
- Livestreamed church services that allow Sunday worship with our congregation
- No hospitalizations for Steve in 2020 (Last year he was admitted four times for various problems related to his liver transplant and a subdural hematoma.)
- Emotional and spiritual health in spite of isolation
And all of us have benefited from God’s unending supply of strength. We’d do well to remember:
I’m guessing you can remember a situation or two when you thought it impossible to press on. But you did—because of God’s enablement.
Other times responsibilities piled up to impossible heights, and the emotional crush was nearly unbearable. But then—miraculously—cancellations and postponements occurred, assistance materialized, and the pile decreased to manageable size–because of God’s intervention.
And why is all this looking back at the past significant? Because:
Where others might say, “So far, so good!” and hope for the best, we say, “So far, so God!” and rely on him whose help is certain. He never fails to do what he has spoken (Psalm 145:13b).
The millions of virtual Ebenezers among us provide reliable evidence we can count on–for 2021 and beyond.
A blessed and confident New Year to all!
Art & photo credits: http://www.pxhere.com; http://www.needpix.com; Nancy Ruegg; http://www.heartlight.org; http://www.canva.com; http://www.pxhere.com; http://www.pixabay.com.
From the Inside Out 
I wish you a blessed new year, Nancy. -C.D.
Thank you, Carole. We WILL have a blessed new year because God is already there, right?
Hi Nancy,
This is a great visual. Our walls aren’t there to isolate but rather delineate us from sin. People know they can have that same protection from the Lord as well.
Happy New Year! Gary
Thank you, Gary. Indeed–no walls to separate us! Just walls of Ebenezer stones uniting us in joy over God’s loving care and blessing!
“So far, so God.” Love that phrase, Nancy! Yes, 2020 has been a difficult year, but not without God’s abundant blessings when we intentionally stop to reflect upon them and count them all as gain.
Loved the stone walls, too. New England, too, is covered with them. Our ancestors did bring their heritage with them when they arrived in the New World.
Happy New Year!
Thank you, Martha. Since you’re familiar with stone walls, you know how many rocks it takes to them, and can imagine them as Ebenezer stones with me! They would represent countless blessings!
Nancy,
What a beautiful post to keep handy as we move into a new year! Thank you for the beautiful reminders and encouragement, Happy New Year to you!
Deb
Thank you, Deborah. So glad you found beauty and encouragement here. Happy New Year to you also, blogger friend!
“So far, so God!” indeed, Nancy. See you next year!
Thank you, Mitch, and Happy New Year to you and your family!
Nancy, thank you for your inspirational post. It is indeed a good time to stop and reflect on all the blessings God provided us during the challenging year we just experienced. 2021 brings us many new beginnings and many blessings to which we can look forward as we continue our journey. May you and Steve be blessed with a very happy and healthy new year.
Thank you so much, Ruth. May you and your family also be blessed in 2021!
beautiful thought. Love the image of millions of Ebenezers too. Isn’t is amazing how a simple and even muddy stone gives God glory? Happy New Year!!
Love that addition to our imaginings–that even muddy stones can give God glory. Hallelujah and Happy New Year to you too, Jean!
Nancy, I love your analogy of memorial stones. I began a prayer journal in the mid-80s too. What a way to see spiritual growth, answered prayers, and God’s mighty hand at work in my life.
How about that–another journal-keeper who happened to start in the mi-1980s! Love it! Indeed, it is thrilling to see the evidence grow and grow, proving God’s mighty hand at work in our lives!
What an encouraging post for the new year! Just what I needed, Nancy. As usual, it was esthetically pleasing via the imagery in both the photos and your beautiful, descriptive writing…but now I am much more inspired (by the strength with which God will supply me) and looking forward in happy expectation to what God brings to my life in 2021 instead of a feeling of dread when I regard what is going on in our country and the world these days. Thank you so very much!
P.S. How you weaved those historical walls into your analogy of memorial stones was inspired. And the Frances Ridley Havergal quote I won’t be forgetting.
Yes, I agree that contemplating the state of our country and that of the world these days can easily discourage us. But we can face whatever 2021 brings our way because God will be with us, and he will provide the strength to endure. (Please remind me of that truth if I start to lose my focus!)
Your journal must be amazing to look back on after all those years! I agree, it’s good to do something to remember God’s faithfulness to us and to focus on the blessings even in the midst of hard times. It definitely gives us strength to move forward. Blessings for 2021!
Thank you, Lesley. There ARE some amazing events recorded through that journal’s pages–at least to us! And it has been a source of delightful encouragement. Blessings to you also for 2021!
Nancy, hi! I’m a little late to the party but am entranced with the story of the stone walls since I’m a big fan of them myself!
But more so, to see them as a testament of God’s presence and power and miracles in our lives is such a blessing. It makes me smile.
Thanks for taking us there.
So glad this post made you smile, Linda!
Many of us wondered about pressing on in 2020. However, with our faith in the Lord ,we did exactly that.
It is good to hear Steve is doing well.
God bless the both of you. Laura
Thank you, Laura. Indeed, with God we CAN press on until he calls us home. I pray God’s blessings upon you also, dear friend!
Nancy,
Loved this!! God has been faithful so many times. I’ve raised many an Ebenezer!. By looking back over all he’s done helps to propel me forward with hope for the future. Terrific post!
Blessings,
Bev xo
Thank you, Bev! I’ve been privileged to read over at your blog about some of your Ebenezers and how they’ve propelled you forward. “The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy” (Psalm 126:3)!”
How appropriate to look back and consider the blessings of this challenging year! I am thankful for extra time at home, for a slower pace than the “go-go-go” pace I found myself in, for technology to connect in new ways like zoom and for more time for reflection and time with the Lord! I’m so thankful for my relationship with our great God and for you and Steve, not only for our years of friendship, but also for the countless hours of mentor ship and discipling you shared with us!! ❤️
I too have enjoyed the same blessings this year, provided by isolation at home. Please know: every time I pray for you, Lisa, I thank God again for the friendship he forged between us. Looking forward to when we can once again enjoy face-to-face fellowship!
The stone of Ebenezer – that has long been an inspirting help in my own life. But I love the idea of building entire Ebenezer walls, Nancy! I’m sure each one of us could construct one long enough to surround a whole town. What an inspiration that would be!!
Couldn’t agree with you more, Sheila!