You might have heard of the term “Ebenezer stone”.
(Think Old Testament, not Scrooge!)
It comes from the story in 1 Samuel when Samuel takes a large stone and places it as a monument in their town – naming it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”).
It was a way of saying – this marks the place where God helped us.
He wanted the Israelites to always remember how God gave them victory and to stay close to God, trusting that God is always present.
We may not build many stone monuments anymore, but it is good to recognize the moments when we have experienced God – especially if it’s a bit extraordinary.
When I talked to Tim Pippus (Hope for Life Church) from Calgary, AB, he told me about a recent “Ebenezer stone” moment that he experienced.
Tim would describe his recent spiritual life as walking faithfully with God but as a bit of a desert experience.
He was hungry to see the power of God and feel the presence of God.
The last few years of church ministry have been beautiful but challenging.
And he was tired.
He begged God – “Come on, there must be more than this.
Spirit of God, come and breathe.”
On a Sunday during a recent retreat in Vancouver, he went to a church he’d never been to before.
At the end of the service, there was the usual offer for prayer – along with a prophetic word.
The pastor said –
“There’s someone here by the name of Tim with plans and dreams that God wants to breathe on.”
It was a profound moment.
Two things caught his attention – God calling him by name and God affirming a specific part of him (his entrepreneurial self).
As he brought the story back to his own church family, there was hope and encouragement that led into a corporate time of prayer and repentance.
There is a positive suspicion that God is up to something good.