Here I raise mine Ebeneezer

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us." - 1 Samuel 7v12

I grew up with the old hymns. I still love them deeply. They are a part of my life and my fibre and God has used them in great ways to speak to my heart. One of the many hymns I loves is ‘Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing’ written by Robert Robinson in 1757.

The most popular version has the following for the second stanza.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Hither by Thy help I'm come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed His precious blood.

I love this and the Bible account behind it. One hymnal I know of changed ‘Here I raise my Ebenezer’ to ‘Here I raise my sign of victory’ and I was not happy with it. I think there is still some traditionalist in me J.

I like the picture of the Ebenezer. After God answered Samuel’s prayer and delivered the nation Samuel set up a memorial stone. When I read this I thought about the mystical standing stones we see all over Ireland. No one knows for sure why they were set up, but I wonder now if they were not someone’s pagan equivalent of an Ebenezer to commemorate some great event.

Eben-ezer means ‘stone of help.’ Some say that the words were carved on the stone. The purpose of the stone was to remind whoever saw it of the great victory that God had provided that day. God was truly Israel’s Ebenezer.

The word pictures quickly come to mind. God is called our Rock. Jesus is the Rock. He is the One who has been our help over and over again. When trials come we would be wise to look to our own perfect Ebenezer and remember the help He has provided in the past and cling to His strength during the present crisis.

Whatever battle we are in we can always raise our Ebenezer and run to our great Help!