January-February - The Gospel Magazine

The GospelMagazine 29
gour souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord
1'our God spake concerning you: all are come to pass unto you, and not one
thing hath failed."
ln like manner the ceremony setting up the memorial stone reminded the
assembled people of God's overruling, of His gracious care and provision for
them down the years of their history. It spoke eloquently of Preservation, of
Prayer answered and of Promises fulfilled.
EBENEZER REMINDED THEM OF PRAISE DUE TO GOD
To Him was due the praise and glory for all the help and all the blessing over the
years. with heartfelthanks they unitedly testified:
"Hitherto hath the LORD
helped us". It was as if they sang:
"To God be the glory . . . great things He hath
done." our praise and thanks this side of calvary should be no less. we indeed
can add to their song. We can sing:
"To God be the glory,
Great things He hath done,
So loved He the world
That He gave us His Son."
EBENEZER SPOKE NOT ONLY OF THE PAST: IT TOLD
OF POWER FOR THE FUTURB
"HITHERTO"
was a pledge of "HENCEFORTH". They were given the
assurance that the God who had enabled them to endure so much in the past,
would continue to uphold and bless them in the future. Does not the past, with
memories of divine enabling, give hope for coming days? A Church, a body of
believers, which has been for many years a witness to God's loving purposes of
redemption can surely trust Him for the days to come. Hitherto His good hand
has been upon His people; therefore He may well be truste{ henceforth.
As we face the unknown future, maybe our prayer is that we may be individually
blessed, that we, in turn, may be a blessing to others. Perhaps we are
honest enough to pray that we may be revived, that we may be a means, under
God, of reviving others. It may be, of course, that we are content with our
spiritual condition and would rather not be disturbed. I suspect, however, that
nowadays such an attitude on the part of worshippers is not general. It is
heartwarming, nowadays, to learn of some Churches which are going forward
with God's blessing.
That is what the Israelites led by samuel found. Their blessings were a
consequence of certain prior conditions being fulfilled. They had to give themselves
in heart, mind and spirit to God. Then the blessings flowed; the defeat of
their foes and the setting up of Ebenezer, the stone of memorial, by Samuel.