Tuesday Reflection – July 28, 2020 Ebenezer

Today’s watchword calls us to reflect on the many ways God has delivered us and how we mark the journey with reminders of His grace. The prophet Samuel called Israel to turn away from idolatry and return to God. The promise was that when they did this, God would deliver them from Philistine oppression. The people agreed and Samuel called them together at Mizpeh for a time of sacrifice, fasting and prayer as they sought God’s forgiveness and mercy. While they were doing this, who should approach with malicious intent but the very Philistines that they were seeking God’s protection from. Samuel prayed, sacrificed and praised God even as the Philistines approached to destroy the Israelites. God intervened on Israel’s behalf and the enemies of God’s people were severely destroyed. Samuel placed a stone between Mizpeh and Shen. He named it Ebenezer. This symbolism is today’s Watchword. ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us’. 1 Samuel 7: 12.  

The stone that Samuel set up was not a single stone as it may seem, but actually an altar, or a mark of remembrance for God’s mighty act towards Israel. Each time it was seen it would be a reminder to the people of God’s help coming to them when they needed it most. In Joshua 4, as Israel crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, God commanded them to pick up twelve stones from the river-bed and set them up as a memorial on the bank of the river as a reminder to generations to come that Israel crossed on dry land. In our text, Samuel set up the memorial between Mizpah where he had invoked God’s forgiveness and help, and Shen where God had answered his prayer in the defeat of the Philistine army. Their last two confrontations had ended in Israel’s defeat for God was displeased with their idolatry. On this day however it was different for God had been with the Israelite army. You see friends, when we are displeasing God in our daily living we should not expect God’s assistance unless we are prepared to make amends, that is, to seek His forgiveness and rededicate ourselves to God’s glory.Note two lessons from this account. Firstly: Never stop praying, praising, and presenting your offering before God even in the face of the most dire situation. While Israel gathered to recommit themselves, the Philistines approached to destroy them. Israel must have been fearful because of their last two encounters, but they stood their ground praying, praising and presenting their offerings unto God. Friends the moment we decide to get our lives in order before God is the time the devil will attack us in the most devastating manner but do not cringe in defeat, do not give in to fear, rather trust the power of the ever-living God. Like David we ought to know: He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will not be shaken. Ps 62: 6. Indeed He that is for us is greater that all that stand against us. Continue to pray, praise and present your gifts to God. He will take care of you. Secondly: God’s response to the faithful is immediate and immense. Samuel was still praying to God for help when the Philistines started experiencing trouble. God begins the process to rescue and restore us even before our prayers are complete. Maybe you are on the verge of giving up, maybe you are feeling that your prayers are not being answered. Let me implore you to keep praying, be patient and allow God to act. Ebenezer reminds us that God is always present, always calling us back to righteousness, always acting to rescue and redeem us. What is your Ebenezer today? What do you use to mark your journey of faith, to remind you that Jesus is your deliverer? For some persons its verses marked in their Bibles. For others it’s a hymn/song that they always sing. For others it’s the little things they collect at significant moments that they and those they tell, know the true meaning of. I encourage you today to have your own Ebenezer, you own reminders for life’s challenging moments when God brought you through. Ebenezer means ‘stone of help’. It signifies that God will always help the faithful when we call on him. Amen.    
Bevon White