Originally published Wednesday, 05 March 2014.
God helped us! Have you cried those words before?
"Samuel took a single rock and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it 'Ebenezer' (Rock of Help), saying, 'This marks the place where God helped us.'" 1 Samuel 7:12-14
This spot, right here, this is where God helped us.
If my life was laid out in map form, it would be so thoroughly covered with images of these "rocks," these "Ebenezers," it would brink difficult to decipher any coherency.
That's not a life map, one might observe. That's a little piece of paper covered in rocks.
Yes. To both.
It is a life map and it is indeed covered in rocks. And I'll tell you why: because without those rocks, the life part wouldn't exist. It's true.
God helped us.
I boldly attribute any and every ounce of my life, the good and the bad, to the sovereignty of God and the freedom that comes from knowing Jesus Christ. I've often felt a tension, in this blog space, to not be overly emphatic about Jesus. I know there are so many searching for truth and meaning and purpose, and you have graciously given me permission to explore and question alongside your quest. For that I am honored.
But the fact remains, as much as I am searching and questioning and dialoguing like you, I know one thing to be true: God helped us.
These three words hold so much meat sandwiched between them, that one essay, one book, one library could not contain its enormity.
But let's try to bite off just a piece.
God helped us, acknowledges there is a God. He does exist.
God helped us, acknowledges there is a God, who doesn't just exist, but He cares.
God helped us, acknowledges there is a God who doesn't just exist, and just care, but possesses the character and desire to assist, redeem and restore, actively in this life.
God helped us, acknowledges there is a God who doesn't just exist, and just care, and just possesses the character and desire to assist, redeem, and restore actively in this life, but in your life. In my life.
Despite the vast chasm of knowledge I am lacking, I know these things to be true, not on theory alone, but because I have experienced them, first hand. Here, here, here and here. (And that's just a fraction.)
These are my rocks. These are my Ebenezer stones that boldly and unashamedly proclaim, yes, God helped us.
Charles Spurgeon, a great man of faith, once said,
"Study deeply what Sovereign Grace has done to you, that you may see the greatness of the mercy and admire it, for, very much in proportion as you appraise the mercy of God at its proper value, will you be sure to have it fixed upon your memory all your life."(Emphasis mine)
Looking back is the greatest tool we have in this life. (Click to tweet) Whether it's to remember where we came from and never go back or to remember what inspired us forward to being with, we could all use a minute down memory lane.
Will you look back with me today, to remember where God, who exists and cares and redeems, has helped us?
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The Stone Collective is a community making much of Jesus as we create art, photography, prose, poems or music that commemorate the wonderful things God does in our life. Started by Sarah Martin and based on the passage in 1 Samuel 7:12-14, each month we will collect Ebenezer Stones as a regularly practice in the art of worship via our creativity.
Want to join in on The Stone Collective? Create your own Stone and link up to LIVE IT OUT! Blog. #TheStoneCollective
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(Original photo via)
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