Focus: So Far So Good!

Text: 1Sam.7:12

"Hitherto hath the Lord helped us."

Samuel is very much on point. Coming from someone like Samuel, that is a true talk and a correct assessment of Israel's history. As he fixes a stone somewhere between Mizpeh and Shen, he calls the name of it, "Ebenezer," and says to the people, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." The word 'help' is âzar in Hebrew, and it means to surround, protect, or succour. 

In blessing Joseph, Jacob in his dying bed described God as "the stone of Israel," and says to Joseph, "Even by the God of thy father, who shall HELP thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb" (Gen.49:25). Did you read that? "The God of thy father…SHALL help thee." As the Spirit of the Lord comes upon Amasai, he says to David, "Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee" (1Chron.12:18). Did you read that? "Thy God helpeth thee." The God of your father shall help you. Your God is helping you. Your father's God has become your own God. 

You have helpers all around you only because your God makes it possible. He is your helper.

When enemies surround Jehoshaphat to fight and kill him, because they mistake him for Ahab, Israel's king, he cries out to God, and "the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him" (2Chron.18:31). Did you read that? "The LORD helped him." Your father's God SHALL help you. Your God helps you. The Lord helped you. All the tenses of time are included - that is, future, present, and past. All aspects of time are included.

Paul captures it well in his letter to the church in Corinth. He says, "Who DELIVERED us from so great a death, and DOTH DELIVER: in whom we trust that he will YET DELIVER us" (2Cor.1:10). 

In the past, God delivered us from so great a death. In the present, God is delivering us from diverse temptations; and in the future, God will certainly deliver us from every trouble.

After the enemy has roared and boasted about his military prowess in a bid to terrorize, intimidate and incapacitate God's people, Hezekiah counters the words of the enemy with the words of faith. He says to the people, "With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah" (2Chron.32:8). God is with you to help you and to fight your battles. You have nothing to be afraid of. Rest yourself on the word of God.

I love this prayer of Asa, "LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee" (2Chron.14:11). Hallelujah! Glory to our God!

Samuel tells the people that with this stone we can always look back and see how God has been there for us. All along God has been good to us. He has helped us so far. So far so good. Child of God, settle it in your heart that the God who has been in your past will surely be in your future! He never retires. He never fails. He never abandons His own. He is ever faithful. Go back memory lane and you will surely say to yourself and everyone else, 'So far so good!'

Bishop Moses E. Peter