Thus Far
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up
between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the
Lord has helped us.” 1
Samuel 7:12 NKJV
What
anticipation. A December afternoon in 1965. When Dad came home from work as
diesel railroad machinist, both parents would take my little brother and me
Christmas shopping in bustling downtown Omaha. It was a big deal. We normally
shopped in our much smaller hometown of Council Bluffs just across the Missouri
River, the Mighty Mo’. Mom was seeking a particular gift for her sister only
found at the massive downtown Brandeis store(to Omaha what Macy’s was to New
York.). What’s more, after shopping we would return home to watch Mister
Magoo’s Christmas Carol. It was a big deal and already a cherished tradition as
the first Christmas television cartoon special in 1962 that paved the way for
Charlie Brown and others in American pop culture. Watching Magoo play Dickens’
Scrooge was the first time I heard the name “Ebenezer.”
When we arrived
at the store Mom set off on her quest. Dad let us fully in as co-conspirators
in his shopping plans for Mom. We were thrilled as we secretly patrolled on
mission with him throughout various departments, while keeping a lookout for
Mom. From then on, joining one parent in their search for just the right gift
for the other parent became one of my most cherished Christmas traditions. As I
reflect on it now, it wasn’t the shopping for the item that I enjoyed the
most—it was the shopping for the
person. As we traversed the aisles I listened to the way Dad delightfully
described his bride as the most beautiful woman in the world. He always said
she reminded him of the actress Ava Gardner. He gave examples why she was such
a faithful wife, mother, and registered nurse. I watched the way Dad precisely
pursued the right sizes, colors, textures, and functions of the gift—all for
the purpose of showing her how much He loved her. Dad didn’t always get the
right size or the right color, but we always saw the same look in Mom’s eyes on
Christmas morning. She loved and delighted in Dad always, even if he never gave
her another gift. Yet she also knew that every gift she did receive from her
bridegroom was a sacrificial labor of passionate love for her.
I get teased
sometimes by other men because I love to shop for Kim, love to shop for my
loved ones—whether for gifts or for groceries—just like my Dad. But I notice
that women do not tease me. Every woman, every person, whether they are aware
or not, longs to be cherished sacrificially. It is the case for you and for me.
Jesus is just the person for the job. Let Him do it. Let Him love you
passionately and precisely at your deepest need this Christmas. Cry out to Him
in your pain. Pour out your praise and thanksgiving to Him for dying on the
cross for you to save you from hell.
Read scripture and listen deeply to what He is saying to you. Ask Him to give
you more of His heart of love to passionately and precisely cherish the people
in your immediate sphere of influence. In all your relationships with family,
friend, or foe--I beg you to come up into His supernatural flow of love in each
present moment. He is always right there with us, Emmanuel. Let your Helper
help you.
This brings me to
the name “Ebenezer.” Ebenezer means “stone of help.” Samuel set up a stone
between Mizpah and Shen as an act of praise, thanksgiving, and remembrance for
God’s people at a particularly crucial time. Mizpah can be translated
“watchtower” and Shen can be “change.” They had forgotten their God, their
Helper, who had delivered them from Egypt and brought them to the promised
land. Instead, they embraced the idolatry and sexual immorality of the cultures
around them. They were weary and heavy laden from the consequences of their sin
and oppressed and harassed by their enemies. They came to Samuel whom God had
mercifully raised up to watch over them. They asked him to pray for them. He
prophesied and called them to destroy their Baal statues and Ashteroth poles
and come back to the Lord and find mercy and rest in obedience to the His
commands. And they did! They could no longer stand defenselessly squeezed
between their own sin against God and their enemies against them. Join me in
praying for America and modern day Israel, that both nations will turn from all
idolatrous immorality and come rest in Jesus’ truth and love. Let it begin with
you and me. Let this moment, this Christmas 2014 season, be a true Ebenezer
time between you and the Lord. Come up into His watchtower and change! Let Him
help you stop sinning and start shining.
The first step is
always turning your eyes upon Jesus. Meditate upon who He is and what He has
done for you thus far. It’s interesting to me that Charles Dickens
named his character “Ebenezer Scrooge.” Scrooge comes from an old English word
meaning “squeeze”—as in Scrooge miserly squeezing money out of every moment and
person. So, literally, “Ebenezer
Scrooge” can mean “The Stone of Help Squeezed”. Guess who that is?
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read
in the Scriptures: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the
conrnerstone; this was the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes?’ Matthew 21:42 ESV
The night before
Jesus died on the cross for you and me, He prayed in agony in the garden of
Gethsemane, which means “olive press”. Near that garden was a press which would
extract the first cold virgin pressings of the olive fruit from the trees. He
placed Himself into the press between the weight of the world’s sin and hellish
destiny on one side; and the prospect of torturous death and temptation to avoid it, on the other.
And being in agony, he was praying very
fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood falling down upon the
ground. Matthew 26:44 ESV
The next day He took
all the wrath for our sin upon Himself, all our iniquities, all our diseases.
He paid the price in full. He was dead as a door nail, and on the third day was
raised. Then He sent the Holy Spirit—the first pressing of oil from His pure
sacrifice—the Helper. He knit you together in your mother’s womb, helped someone pray for you, testify to you,
invite you to receive Jesus, He actually helped you give your life to Christ,
and He has preserved you through great trials and protected you from untold
calamities up to this moment—thus far. And no matter how you may feel “squeezed” by
the pressures of living in this sinful, fearful world as you read this—the One
who entered the “olive press” for you is passionately and precisely pursuing
everything for your best right now. This Christmas, will He see the look of
absolute love in your eye for Him-- like my Dad saw in my Mom’s eye—whether he
got the size right or not? Pause for just a moment…think about it…if He never
did one more thing for you…if nothing else ever went right for you in this
life…wouldn’t it be enough that He saved you from hell? The Holy Spirit is your
oil of gladness. Let Him burn bright through praise, scripture, prayer, and
grateful sacrificial giving of yourself for others. You are part of Jesus’
Bride. You are absolutely beautiful to Him. It’s a mystery, but we are all
foremost on His mind at the same time. He’s always working, watch, waiting to
help you now. Let Him. Love Him. Love others from His heart within you. That’s
all He wants for Christmas. Come up and know Him better. The Helper has a
wonderful adventure planned for you. The Bridegroom returns. What anticipation!
Kim and I thank the Lord Jesus, and each of you, for helping us
thus far!
Merry Christmas!
Mighty Christ sends us
forth in 2015 to invite the world to come rest in His love.
God bless us every one!
Dick and Kim Speight
319-213-5684
Upcoming
Dec. 19
630-930pm Come Rest Carols and Party @ CR Calvin-Sinclair
Presbyterian
Dec. 21 & 28 845am Come Up!/Secret
Place Class at CR River of Life
6pm Men’s & Women’s Wellsprings
Covenant Groups at Rehoboth(2125 Bever Ave SE, CR)
7pm I58 Cross-denominational House
Fellowship at Rehoboth
Jan. 4 10am
& 6pm Speights teaching on prayer @ Open Bible in
Jefferson, Iowa AM & PM services
6pm Men’s & Women’s Wellsprings
Covenant Groups at Duane Mclean’s home 1668
13th St NW, CR319-899-0315)
7pm I58 Cross-denominational House Fellowship
at Mclean’s(Ellis to O; O to 13th; north on 13th to end
of block)
Jan. 9
630-930 Come
Rest Awakening of Love@ River of Life, CR
Jan. 21 9am-4pm Come Rest Personal Retreat; apply at jkadlec@imonmail.com
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