Ebenezer

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 6-8; Luke 20; Psalm 103

"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)

The people of Israel had been delivered from their enemies by the power of God. To mark the moment, Samuel raised a stone and named it Ebenezer — stone of help — a reminder that God’s hand had been faithful every step of the way.

Hundreds of years later, Robert Robinson echoed the same truth in his hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing":

"Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I've come."

It’s a simple but profound habit of the heart:
To pause.
To remember.
To say, "God has helped me this far."

Even in literature, the name Ebenezer carries deep meaning.
In A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge starts as the opposite of a "stone of help" — cold, selfish, and cut off from others.
But after encountering truth and grace, he is transformed.
Scrooge becomes a blessing to his community, a helper to the poor, a light in his family.
He becomes, at last, a living "Ebenezer" — a visible sign of redemption.

Having my own personal Ebenezers has been helpful to me throughout the years. When I start worrying, I pause and remember when God helped us pay medical bills, get our car fixed when we were broke, get through sickness, overcome personal trials, and a host of other difficulties. Remembering that “till now the Lord has helped us,” gives us confidence He will help us again.

Ebenezer is a funny sounding name and word. That makes it easy to remember. When you are struggling, look back, remember, and raise your own Ebenezer. It will help you to remember you’ve been helped before.

scrooge