Suzi Pitts, Director of Communications

1 Samuel 7:12

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

Reflection:
It was 1992, after just losing my mom to cancer, I was in deep grief. Right after that, our Golden Retriever, Chili, died. Now I know that the death of a dog is not a huge deal, except for you dog people—you get it. But this death on top of death was flattening. I had little kids at the time, and I felt low like I’d lost my bounce. I was depressed, and all I wanted was a puppy to hold until I felt better. You cannot just snap your fingers and make a female Golden Retriever appear. There are waiting lists for litters, and so my prayer went something like, “You probably can’t make it happen, but God, I do want/ need a puppy.” It was not a shining moment of faith, but it was real talk.

In 1 Samuel 7, we read about Israel learning a hard lesson. They had assumed that God would be with them, even if they continued in the sin of idol worship. God had been very clear on this (re-imagine Moses coming down the mountain to see the golden calf). Twenty years earlier, they lost the Ark of the Covenant as their insurance policy to prevail in battle, and Israel was crushed by the Philistines. Samuel advised them to return to the Lord with all their hearts, give up their idols and they would prevail against the enemy. There was revival, and the victory was theirs. Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

Is there a particular object or memory that reminds you of God’s faithfulness during a time of defeat, depression, or maybe when you have felt distant from God? These are your billboards of God who provides, heals, and who is there. These are our Ebenezer stones.

In the hymn, Come Thou Font of Every Blessing, the second verse starts with:

“Here I raise my Ebenezer
Here there by Thy great help I’ve come
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home.”

Back to my story about the desire of my heart for a puppy. You guessed it…we found a precious female Golden Retriever puppy!  I held her at home, and as I drove carpool, and while reading to kids, or watching TV. I held her until I felt better. I know we don’t always get what we pray for, but I did feel and recognize God’s love for me in the provision of that puppy. My desire for worship, quietly and stealthily, grew from an ember. Oh yes, I almost forgot to tell you. I named her Peaches Ebenezer after the God who helps.

Prayer:
Father God, thank you for how you woo us back when we lose our way. You help us to find our way home back to you, even when we feel lost. We want to praise you with all our hearts as we lift our Ebenezers, remembering how good you are. We love you and pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.