Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
—is informative as we head into a new year not because it calls us to look forward, but rather because it calls us to look backward.First of all, what’s an Ebenezer? To the naked eye an Ebenezer is nothing more, literally, than a big rock or a pile of rocks. To the heart’s eye it is a reminder of God’s faithfulness in the past. For example, in the book of 1 Samuel, after God gives Israel victory over the Philistines, the prophet Samuel raises the first Ebenezer.
“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the LORD has helped us”” (1 Samuel 7:12 ESV).
Why do this? The answer is quite simple. Israel (and we) had a tendency to be forgetful. Samuel knew this and so, he sets up an Ebenezer and says, implicitly, “Every time you see this rock, remember. Remember that up to this point, God has honored his promises toward us. Every time you are worried about the future, look at the rock. Be reminded that God has taken care of you in the past and have confidence that he’ll do so in the future.”
What are some of your Ebenezers? As you look over the past year, can you see those situations or events in which God helped and sustained you or through which he delivered you? Were you or loved ones healed from some illness or malady? Or, perhaps you saw a relationship reconciled or found some new encouraging friendships? This list could be endless. Can you think of anything? If not, you’re not trying hard enough.
One way to facilitate the process of remembering, ironically, is to plan ahead. At the beginning of last year, my small group shared what we called our “Ebenezer prayers”—big things that we believed could only be accomplished by God. At the end of the year, we would look back and see if and how God had answered those prayers. Besides keeping us focused on prayer for one another, these Ebenezer prayers have given us the opportunity to rejoice as we’ve seen God work.
My Ebenezer prayer at the beginning of this year was simple. I asked for stability and clarity of call. In other words, while I enjoyed me time as the [practical] interim at First EPC, my prayer was that God would either make things permanent or call me to another ministry. Needless to say, I’m still here—with a clear call. God is faithful.
If you are a Christian, the Cross is the ultimate Ebenezer. Are you concerned about the future? Look backward. Gaze upon the Cross . This is where God “made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV). Do you feel guilty? Look to the Cross and hear the words of the Apostle Paul, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 ESV).
As you gather with family and friends during this Advent season, take some time to share your Ebenezers. You will be pleasantly surprised to see how much of God’s faithfulness you’ve overlooked. Added to this, you will be greatly encouraged as you move forward into a new year, more watchful for new signs of God’s goodness.
