Where’s Your Ebenezer?

The words of the well-known hymn “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” were written in 1757 by pastor and hymnist Robert Robinson. While most of the lines resonate with singers and listeners, the reference to “Ebenezer” may prove confusing:

           Here I raise my Ebenezer;

           Here by thy great help I’ve come.

In 1 Samuel 7:12, Ebenezer, Hebrew for “stone of help,” is what Samuel names a stone memorial he erects to God after Israel wins a battle against the Philistines. (Similarly, the name Eliezer appears several times in scripture, meaning “My God, [my] help.”)

If you were to “raise [your] Ebenezer” in memory of a place where God helped you, where might it stand? Maybe it’s at the scene of a car accident you survived, or on a college campus where your faith was challenged or molded. Maybe it’s a peaceful spot in nature where you sensed the Spirit’s presence. Or maybe it’s simply in your heart, where a figurative Ebenezer monument can remind you of the Lord’s constant care and love.

 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1