Why I Made An Ebenezer

First of all, what is an Ebenezer? I’m not talking about the main character in Dickens, A Christmas Tale. It actually comes from the Bible. The Israelites were under attack by the Philistines. They were outnumbered and terrified. They asked the prophet Samuel to call out to God for help. In response, Samuel prayed and offered a sacrifice and the Philistines were defeated. Then Samuel did this:

I 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.”

The definition of the word Ebenezer means stone of help. Samuel created a monument as a reminder of God’s help in a seemingly impossible situation.

There are many places in the Old Testament where stones are used as monuments to God’s help. It’s probably not an exhaustive list but I found at least 15 verses where this took place.

I have been doing a summer Bible study with a group of women friends based on the book, The Me Project by Kathi Lipp. It is a wonderful book to help you learn to focus on getting to know yourself, love yourself, understanding more of God, and creating a deeper relationship with God.

In one chapter she mentions the importance of remembering the successes that God has helped you achieve. She mentioned an Ebenezer and other ideas as tangible memorials that can be looked at to take us back to that place of remembrance and be grateful.

As part of my “Me Project”, I decided to complete the marketing plan for my book Well, and do it incorporating the process used in Lipp’s book.

I am so happy to say that with God’ help I completed my project in a way that honors him. I learned a lot about myself and God while I was doing it and my relationship with God is stronger as a result of this study.

To remember this summer study, I decided to build an Ebenezer. It seemed fitting to create a well replica out of my stones of help. It’s sitting on my desk and every time I glance at it, I feel a little extra joy in my heart.