The Upper Upper Room Daily Devotional Guide for Tuesday, 11 February 2014 "My Ebenezer" - Read 1 Samuel 7

The Upper Upper Room Daily Devotional Guide for Tuesday, 11 February 2014 "My Ebenezer" - Read 1 Samuel 7:7 When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 The children of Israel said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.” 9 Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel; and Yahweh answered him. 10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines came near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel. 11 The men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and struck them, until they came under Beth Kar.
12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer,[a] saying, “Yahweh helped us until now.” 13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped coming within the border of Israel. Yahweh’s hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Samuel 7:12 “Ebenezer” means “stone of help”.
Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”--1 Samuel 7:12 (NIV)
Probably most of us have heard of the Native American leaders Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, who joined together to defeat the U.S. Army under General Custer at the battle of the Little Bighorn. A courageous leader, Crazy Horse became a hero to his people. A memorial to Crazy Horse is being sculpted in South Dakota. When completed, it will be 641 feet long and 563 feet high — a stone symbol of courage, determination, and leadership. In the hymn, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” we sing about a similar kind of monument, saying, “Here I raise mine Ebenezer.” This line refers to God’s answering the prophet Samuel’s plea during a fierce battle between the people of Israel and the Philistine army. After Israel won the battle, Samuel set up a stone and called it Ebenezer, a name that was created by combining two Hebrew words and literally means “the stone of help.” This stone reminded the Lord’s people that God was with them, providing what they needed. This ebenezer, set up thousands of years ago, still reminds us today of the power and presence of God — that God is here and will provide. You and I can have “ebenezers” all around us that can remind us of God’s presence in our lives. It is good to remember that “thus far the Lord has helped us.”--The Author-Andy Baker (Tennessee, USA)
Thought for the Day: What ebenezers have I set up to mark important experiences in my life with God?
Prayer: Dear God, remind us every day of your faithfulness. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those who feel alone and hopeless
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