"How Many Ebenezers?"

“How Many Ebenezers?”

If I were to ask a group of friends, “How many Ebenezers have you heard of?” the almost unanimous answer would likely be one: Ebenezer Scrooge. He’s the miser in Charles Dickens’1843 classic A Christmas Carol who’s transformed into a kind and gentle man after seeing the ghost of his late business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas. (In 1947 the Disney Company introduced Donald Duck’s skinflint uncle, Scrooge McDuck, created by Carl Barks, which has made the Scrooge name synonymous with selfishness and greed.)

How did Dickens come up with the name Ebenezer? It’s actually a town in ancient Israel from which the Israelites launched the losing battle against the Philistines and the Ark of God was captured (1 Samuel 4:1; 5:1). About 20 years after the Ark was returned God gave Israel a resounding victory over their archenemy (1 Samuel 7:11). As leader of the nation “…Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying. ‘Thus far has the Lord helped us.’” (1 Samuel 7:12, emphasis added). Thus Ebenezer (literally meaning “stone of help”) was transformed from a place of defeat to one of victory. So Dickens may have used it to reflect Scrooge’s change of character.

A few years ago I preached a message on this account and in so doing asked myself, “How many Ebenezers (or times of God’s help) have I seen in my life? There have been too many to remember individually (an old hymn concludes with “Count your many blessings, see what God hath done”) but here are a few that stand out:

*God’s guidance throughout my life (“You will keep on guiding me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.”—Psalm 73:24, NLT).

*God’s provision for every need (“…God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 4:19).

*God’s comfort in all circumstances (“…The God of all comfort…comforts us in all our troubles….”—2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

*God’s sustaining me through my struggles (“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”—Psalm 55:22).

As I reflect om God’s work on my behalf over my ¾ century on earth there are far more Ebenezers than I ever realized (“…{He} is able to do immeasurably more that all {I} ask or imagine….”—Ephesians 3:20). How many Ebenezers do you see in your life? Rather than taking them for granted “…Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise….” (Hebrews 13:15) for His goodness to us.

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan