Here I raise my Ebenezer...

Don't judge! I can be really slow sometimes! 
I've always loved the hymn "Come Thou Fount"...or as I would call it "the Ebenezer song". I never really understood why in the world the Ebenezer was there, because the first thing I think of is Ebenezer Scrooge! Haha! So this morning I was googling the passage I'm using in this post(because I could not remember what chapter it was), and the first website on the list talked about Come Thou Fount and Ebenezer and it all made sense. I didn't even have to read it. It just clicked! :)


Sunday night, I had the privilege of attending Grace Baptist Church's Thanksgiving Service...and meal. ;) Basically they preached a little, then left it open for people to publicly say what they were thankful for. I told my mom when I got home that I thought about standing up, but they only had an hour and I didn't want to take up half of it! And you know I would! :)


The passage used was 1Samuel 7:2-12
 Then all the people of Israel turned back to the LORD. ³ So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” ⁴ So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.

 ⁵ Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the LORD for you.” ⁶ When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.
 ⁷ When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. ⁸ They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁹ Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel’s behalf, and the LORD answered him.
 ¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. ¹¹The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.
 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.”


Samuel set up a monument, naming it Ebenezer. Thus far has the Lord helped us. We were challenged to set our monument saying "Thus far has the Lord helped me", realizing that this past year, and even this far in our lives is only possible with God's help. We were also challenged to think back over the last 12 months and meditate on just how God has helped us, and thank Him.


I was debating whether or not to share some of the things I'm thankful for.  Two years ago I wrote out 100 things, and last year I did 200! This year I was going to do 300, but I decided not to. Rather, I challenge you, my reader to think back over the last 12 months and see just how much God has helped you. Raise your Ebenezer and say with thanksgiving "Thus far has the Lord helped me". 


Have a Happy Thanksgiving!


God Bless
♥