“Here I raise my Ebenezer!” These are words that many of us grew up singing in that great hymn “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” But what do they mean?
The second verse of that hymn reads:
Here I raise my Ebenezer; hither by thy help I’ve come: and I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.
This hymn points us back to 1 Samuel 7. In that chapter, the Israelites, led by Samuel (this happens before there were kings in Israel), won a significant battle against the Philistines, who had been persistently raiding Israelite territory. When the victory had been secured, we read in 1 Samuel 7:12:
“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far has the LORD helped us.’”
Ebenezer is a compound Hebrew word, meaning simply ‘stone of help.’ And every time the Israelites passed by that monument on their way from Mizpah to Shen, they would have occasion to remember that in their time of trouble, God had helped them. And they would be reminded that God could continue to help them – even out on the wild frontier of their nation so close to a hostile neighbor!
When God has helped us in difficult times we must also set up stones of remembrance. Otherwise, we are prone to forget both the love and power of God. We forget that he has helped us in the past. And we forget that he can help us in the present.
So, here I raise my Ebenezer… hither by thy help I’ve come. It was one year ago today that I had surgery. This blog post is one of the stones I have set up to serve as a reminder of what the Lord has done for me.
I am thankful that God led me to a gifted surgeon who was able to adapt and improvise when the surgery did not go as planned! I am thankful that I healed!
I am thankful that the surgery was a success in its ultimate objective – no more glossopharyngeal pain! I have traded constant pain with intermittent excruciating pain spikes for a generally present mild headache, numbness on the back of my head, a paralyzed vocal cord, and some paralysis in the left side of my throat. It might sound strange to many, but with a year’s perspective, it was a GREAT deal!
I am thankful that my voice has been so remarkably restored! Beyond expectations I am doing well with one vocal cord. I sang for the first time at my friend Phil Monsen’s funeral, “In Christ Alone…” Although it is exhausting, I can do it. Check out these early and late sermon clips – my one functioning vocal cord is learning to do the job of two. My speaking voice is at 90-95% functionality!
[Sermon clips to come…]
I am thankful for so many people who have loved me and my family so well – especially during the early months. Too many to list. But I am particularly touched every time I remember that there is a church in Matthews, North Carolina, a church I have never attended, that has a Seniors Bible Study that has been regularly lifting me, my ministry, and my family up in prayer. So thank you Christ Covenant Church and so many others for your kindness!
I am thankful for my wife and kids. I cannot say enough about how they have been a blessing and a source of hope and inspiration.
And I am thankful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He has continued to be faithful. He neither leaves nor forsakes. I am mindful of the fact that however fearful I may have been at various times – especially during the first months of struggling, I never felt spiritually alone. He was present – “to cheer and to guide.”
Join me in my thanksgiving and praise. And be sure to take some time to set up “stones of help” in your life. The way of our pilgrimage should be littered with Ebenezers. May they be milestones of encouragement in our walks with God.
Your Pastor,
Bob Bjerkaas
Thank you, Bob. Your strenth in the Lord is inspiring.