Thus far

I Samuel 7:12: "Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."

Sunday morning during our ladies retreat my friend Gaynell spoke about this verse and it stuck in my memory banks. With the pitiful state of my memory, it's a wonder that I am able to recall this fact -- but I read it again today and I remembered. I was convicted to plant my own rock of remembrance so not only could I remember but I would have a visual to point out to my children at every opportunity. There is just something wonderfully reassuring and comforting about realizing 'thus far the Lord has helped me." When you break things down to 'thus far' it isn't so overwhelmingly frightening. PLUS there's the knowledge that God has been with me thus far so He's probably not going to pull out now. Every since I learned what an Ebenezer was I have loved that verse to that old hymn, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". There is something deeply sacred to me about worship through songs that are hundreds of years old. I love, love, love new worship songs but once in a while those old hymns say something that can't be said any other way.

All I need to hang on for is "thus far". That seems pretty simple. I think I can do that.