Ebenezer

When you hear the name Ebenezer, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?  Is it Ebenezer Scrooge, from the writings of Charles Dickens?  Or is it from the Scriptures written by God? 

1 Samuel Chapter 7 tells us of a time when the children of Israel were under attack from the Philistines.  They went to Samuel and asked him to pray to the LORD to save them.  Samuel interceded on behalf of the children of Israel, and verse 10 tells us that when the Philistines drew near to battle against them, the LORD thundered with a great thunder and they were discomfited and they were smitten before Israel.

God answered Samuel's prayer.

Then Samuel took a stone and set it in the place of victory and called the name of it, Ebenezer, because the LORD helped them.

Ebenezer:  Stone of help.

I have an Ebenezer stone.  It's an agate half the size of my hand and it sits on the ledge of my bay window in my kitchen.  It was placed there during a time when I didn't think I would even make it through the day.  Every day when I am washing my dishes, I am reminded that the LORD is my help.  I will never face anything alone, and when I pray and ask God to defeat my armies of sickness, fear, discouragement or you fill-in-the-blank,  I know He will.  

He is my Stone of Help and I will praise him for the victory!  But that's just me!