“Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” – I Samuel 7:12
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” – John 3:30
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”- Galatians 6:14
Scripture Reading: I Samuel 7, Psalm 66
Today, it’s personal. I have to admit, when I write about bits and pieces of my personal life, I cringe at the thought of someone reading them. But today, I have to admit something else – God has far exceeded my fragile and often faithless expectations.
The last year brought a world of change in our home. It started with the decision that I would leave my full-time job (at a point when it had just turned into my dream job in many ways), so that I could focus more on our boys and whatever ministry opportunities the Lord provided.
We really believed God had brought us to this point, but that belief didn’t make it any less terrifying. We were effectively taking half of our income and throwing it out the window like it was unnecessary, while every fiber of my being told me that the money was absolutely necessary to our security.
Being the control freak that I am, I did everything I could to prepare for our great “leap of faith”. I created spreadsheets on our expenses, stockpiled cash for emergencies, and drummed up about one-sixteenth of a mustard seed of faith. And the sad truth was this – my spreadsheets didn’t add up, and my stockpile wouldn’t last through the winter.
And then there were the things that only God knew were coming – things that weren’t even on my spreadsheets. A few minor but expensive illnesses, a few major but unanticipated car problems, and of course, the fallout from my general lack of accounting skills.
So now, I’m hear to provide the year-end report, if you will. Just like Samuel set up a stone as a remembrance of all that God had done for the Children of Israel (I Samuel 17), I want to raise my Ebenezer and tell you that God has done great things in my home, my heart, and in Heart Medicine (Psalm 66). I’ve spent more time at home, more time with my boys, more time in prayer, and more time in God’s Word. I haven’t published another book, or recorded another CD. I haven’t gotten a new job, or a promotion or a raise. I’ve spent more time with kindergartners than I have with corporate executives, and I haven’t done much else.
But here’s what matters – God has done much, and God alone has brought us through. He has met our needs and granted many desires. He has shown me just how blessed I am to have my husband, Paul, and He has brought us closer together than ever before. He has used us in ways we couldn’t have imagined, and in spite of ourselves, He has grown our faith to at least an eighth of a mustard seed (Psalm 71:15-16, I Corinthians 1:28-29).
Imperfect as I am, I think I might have actually grown a little in the last year (Psalm 42:8, Matthew 16:25). And although I don’t necessarily recommend unemployment as a growth strategy, I do recommend that you take a look at the things that you’re counting on and clinging to in this life (Deuteronomy 30:19, Joshua 24:15, Psalm 20:7, Matthew 6:24-33). Are they the things that God would have you cling to? Or have they somehow taken His rightful place in your heart?
I recently read a devotional that challenged me to hone my hopes for the New Year down to one word – not a list of resolutions, but one single word. A word immediately came to mind, and I think 2016 gave me a head-start on it. My word is “less”. Less of me, and more of Him (John 3:30, II Corinthians 12:9). Less attention-seeking and more praise-giving. Less worrying, planning, trying and striving, in exchange for more trusting, relying, praying, and waiting. Less stuff, and more substance.
Maybe you faced struggles and unexpected challenges in the last year. Maybe your life has changed in ways that you weren’t prepared for, and the things you thought you could count on have slowly ebbed away. Let the losses and the “less” of your life be an opportunity to experience more of God. Remember all that He has done for you, and resolve to know Him more in the coming year. He has brought you this far. Let His grace lead you home.
YOUR PRESCRIPTION
Raise your Ebenezer. Write down some of the blessings and burdens that you’ve had in the last year, and remember how God has been faithful. Commit the coming year to Him, and trust Him to work in ways beyond your imagination.
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