Ebenezer

I walk circles around my house while I pray. Living room to hallway, past the study, through the dining room, into the kitchen and back again to the living room, over and over, around and around. It reminds me of the Israelites walking around Jericho. As I look around while I walk, I see reminders, Ebenezers of God’s grace and faithfulness. In the Old Testament, the Israelites would set up piles of rocks in places where the Lord had moved or provided a miracle. Ebenezer means, “Up to this point, the Lord has been faithful.” Future generations of Israelites needed to remember the good things that the Lord had done for their people. 

I need to remember too and I can see Ebenezer’s surrounding me in my house. As I walk through the living room I see pictures from our wedding, a reminder of God’s goodness and provision. I look at the couches and can almost see myself and a group of girls who come together each Wednesday night to share in life together and to celebrate our God. I walk by my bedroom door and I can hear a rain machine humming to keep my husband asleep. He’s been at the hospital for 24 hours and has just retuned home at 7:00am, right as the rest of the world is waking up. These long nights save lives and bless others as well as providing for our own little family. I walk past the study where I can see Neill’s piano and am reminded of our first Christmas Day advent service together with Neill playing the old keys as we sing Joy to the World at the top of our lungs. I also see the prayer chair, where I sit every morning to read my Bible. A quilt sits in the chair that was made by my Aunt Mary for our wedding. Wrapping up in its warmth each morning remind me of God’s warming goodness. Cosette’s blanket sits on the floor because she can’t stand to be in another room from me. She is, in fact, following me as I circle around and around the house. It’s a prayer walk for the both of us! I walk through the dining room that’s bare, a reminder that we’re still just starting this life together. I enter the kitchen and am met by the smell of pinto beans on the stovetop, which my husband prepped before coming to bed this morning. Later today he’ll add the hambone and grill Jalapeno sausage and we’ll have a good Texas dinner. Above the coffee maker is a chalkboard with Psalm 23:5 over it: “My cup overflows with your blessings.” And next to it, a phrase from an old, beloved hymn: “Bind my wandering heart to thee.” 

I walk in circles. I pray circles around the people that I love the dreams that I have. I ask for the faith of the Israelites as they marched around Jericho, believing the miracle before it had even happened. I cry tears for the pain of living on this side of heaven, and I cry tears of awe and wonder at the amazing goodness and grace of our God. I walk circle around this house asking for big dreams and big miracles and I believe He will make them come to pass! But today, as I look around, I can also see so many reminders of “up to this point, God has been faithful,” so many Ebenezer’s.