Good morning. We read 1 Sam 7 today.
We see the ark of the covenant being brought back.
We see Samuel told the Israelites to turn away from their idols and turn back to God. They complied.
Later, when the Philistines came to wage war, the Israelites turned to Samuel to seek help from God. God drove away the enemies. The Israelites routed them. Not only they beat the Philistines, they recaptured areas lost to them before.
After that, Samuel set up a stone to commemorate how God helped them. He called it Ebenezer. It’s a monument to help the Israelites remember how God helped them. He knew people are forgetful. We shall see this in the very next chapter.
I remember my late dad used to share his testimony of how God blessed him and helped him when he first received Christ as his saviour. He was so fired up. He wanted everyone near him to know God and what he did. I was very much inspired.
I believed we all went through that stage. We had so much to tell about God. We wanted to tell how God changed us. We wanted others to know Jesus too. We were all fired up. To some, this passion remains burning strong. To some, the fire fizzles out. What God did for us is committed in a very deep region in our memory and we seldom think about it. We are too busy for small things like that. Sometimes, when something happens, it triggers a retrieval of that piece of memory. Sometimes, it does not get triggered at all. We just FORGOT what God did for us!
How do you remember God’s blessings? How often do you count God’s blessings? How do you make sure you do not forget? Some write journals. If you wait for a time you are free to jot it down, you may end up forgetting about it. You will easily find something else you like to do when you have free time. Some give testimonies. If you wait for the “right time” to share your testimony, there may never be a right time.
What is your Ebenezer? How did you set up your own Ebenezer? Do you remember what God did? Does the memory of God saving you from death / healing your from illness / keeping you from harm / reconciling that precious relationship / giving you that opportunity bring up a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving? Do not take things for granted.
Go revisit the many Ebenezers you have in your life. If you have not set up many, start now.
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