Family Devotion 4: Lift Your Ebenezer

In our story this week we continue to learn about the life and ministry of Samuel.  In 1 Samuel 7, we hear that Samuel had become a great judge and helped the people of Israel with challenging decisions. Samuel encouraged the people of Israel to pray to God and live together peacefully as God wanted.  The people often had trouble doing that and often put other things ahead of God.

One day, the Israelites' neighbors, the Philistines, tried to attack them. Samuel brought the people together to pray. They prayed that God would protect them. They prayed that God would help them to live together the way that God wanted them to -- treating each other with love and care. They asked God to forgive them for the mistakes they had made.

The Philistines were not able to attack the Israelites.  Samuel told the people that they were finally living the way that God wanted them to live and that their hopes and God's hope for them was the same -- that they live together in peace and care and put God first. Samuel held up a rock and built a special marker for the people so that they would always remember to live the way God hopes for them and to pray for each decision. He called the rock Ebenezer.

Do This Together:  Make a map of events in your life for some period (it could be the last week, month, year, or even as far back as you remember).  Then, put some markers -- like Ebenezers -- stones, or shells, or even M&Ms, on each of the events where you remember feeling God's comfort and presence or protection. Help each other remember those moments. Then, keep a list of those moments this week.  If you didn't make an Ebenezer stone in Sunday School, find a small stone and write the letter "E" on it with a marker. Keep the stone with you to remember to go to God with your decisions, or worries and celebrations.

Pray Together:  Take turns giving thanks for those moments when you each felt God's presence.