The Stone of Help
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
1 The people of Kiriath-Jearim got the chest and took it to Abinadab's house, which was on a hill in their town. They chose his son Eleazar to take care of it, 2 and it stayed there for 20 years. During this time everyone in Israel was very sad and begged the for help. 3 One day, Samuel told all the people of Israel, “If you really want to turn back to the , then prove it. Get rid of your foreign idols, including the ones of the goddess Astarte. Turn to the with all your heart and worship only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4 The people got rid of their idols of Baal and Astarte and began worshiping only the . 5 Then Samuel said, “Tell everyone in Israel to meet together at Mizpah, and I will pray to the for you.” 6 The Israelites met together at Mizpah with Samuel as their leader. They drew water from the well and poured it out as an offering to the . On that same day they went without eating to show their sorrow, and they confessed they had been unfaithful to the . 7 When the Philistine rulers found out about the meeting at Mizpah, they sent an army there to attack the people of Israel. The Israelites were afraid when they heard that the Philistines were coming. 8 “Don't stop praying!” they told Samuel. “Ask the our God to rescue us.” 9 Samuel begged the to rescue Israel, then he sacrificed a young lamb to the . Samuel had not even finished offering the sacrifice when the Philistines started to attack. But the answered his prayer and made thunder crash all around them. The Philistines panicked and ran away. 10 11 The men of Israel left Mizpah and went after them as far as the hillside below Beth-Car, killing every enemy soldier they caught. 12 The Philistines were so badly beaten that it was quite a while before they attacked Israel again. After the battle, Samuel set up a monument between Mizpah and the rocky cliffs. He named it “Help Monument” to remind Israel how much the had helped them. For as long as Samuel lived, the helped Israel fight the Philistines. 13 14 The Israelites were even able to recapture their towns and territory between Ekron and Gath. Israel was also at peace with the Amorites. 15 Samuel was a leader in Israel all his life. 16 Every year he would go around to the towns of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah where he served as judge for the people. 17 Then he would go back to his home in Ramah and do the same thing there. He also had an altar built for the at Ramah.
I Samuel 7
Memory Verse
Lamentations 3:21-23
21 Then I remember something that fills me with hope. 22 The 's kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. 23 The can always be trusted to show mercy each morning.
My family and I have a cool way to remind ourselves of the many blessings God has given us. Around our house, we’ve hung framed photographs from our family trips. And believe it or not, each photo prominently displays a column of rocks. That’s right, rocks! While these stacks of rocks do make for a pretty picture, there’s more to them than how they look. These columns of stones are called Ebenezers; they’re our family’s way of remembering what God has done for us.
Ebenezer is a Hebrew word that means “stone of help” (1 Samuel 7:12). In 1 Samuel 7 God’s people, the Israelites, had grown selfish and disobedient to God. They wanted to do things their own way and no longer asked God for help. Even though the people forgot about God, he still loved them and even helped them in their battles. When they finally realized that they’d disobeyed God, the Israelites built an Ebenezer, a pile of stones to remind them of everything God had done for them and to always put their trust in him.
Here’s how to build your own family Ebenezer: on a family trip, hike, or even just a neighborhood stroll, have each person think of a Bible story, a verse, or a personal story of God’s faithfulness. At the same time, everyone collects flat stones, pieces of bark, or shells to stack. Together find a pretty spot, and then take turns sharing your Bible verses and stories of God’s grace as you start stacking the rocks. It may take a few adjustments to get the Ebenezer to stay upright, but that is part of the fun!
In my daily prayer time, when I look at my family’s photos of our Ebenezers, I think about all the ways God has helped me, forgiven my sins, and shown his love to me. Great is his faithfulness!
Prayer
Dear God, forgive me when I forget to ask you for help and do things my own way. Thank you that even when I forget about you, you still love me and help me. Help me remember to always trust in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.Related Resources
Emily Vanden Heuvel
As Senior Producer of Pastoral Care, Rev. Emily Vanden Heuvel coordinates the ReFrame Ministries Prayer Team and follow-up care to those who interact with ReFrame programs, including Kids Corner. Before joining ReFrame, Emily served as a chaplain, counseling children and adults in trauma and crisis recovery. Emily and her husband, Ryan, have two children. She loves to preach and mentor kids. She also enjoys cooking, baking, and gardening.