Jesus Isn't Decaf (By Naomi Meyers)

They hadn’t come here for this. They hadn’t assembled on this day to be slaughtered where they stood. They had no intention of being a sitting target for the enemy. In fact, everything they had done over the last few days was to ensure victory. Foreign gods had once again been removed. Idols were destroyed. They had turned as one back to God. Hearts, souls, service. His alone. Just as Samuel had told them to do. 

It was their last defense against the Philistines. Nothing else had worked. They had even stolen the Ark of God. It hadn’t exactly worked out for the Philistines, owning the Ark. They should have seen the error of their ways when their sightless, voiceless, unhearing, motionless god fell to the ground before the Ark. They didn’t. They should have packed it up and shipped it back when tumors first broke out among them. Again they didn’t. Men were ill. Some died. Mice ravaged the land. It would be seven months before they sent the Ark on its way. 

Still, the Philistines were not finished with them. The men of Israel knew it. Again and again the Philistines would come against them until they had defeated, killed, captured, and plundered. Desperate to fend off the coming series of altercations, they gathered before Samuel hoping to hear words of wisdom and guidance. Words of victory. Words from God. 

Except they weren’t following Him. When they previously went out to battle the Philistines, they had been cocky. Placed their faith in the Ark itself. Thought they were unbeatable simply for carrying it into the battle. Essentially idolized the Ark instead of the true God it represented. They had fallen aside to worship Baal and fall before Ashtaroth. The Ark of God had been captured and the Israelites were faced with the truth. The Ark itself did not have the power to save them. Salvation could only come from a clean break with sin and a complete turning to God. 

So they did it. Renovated their land. Redecorated their houses. Removed the idols. Returned to God. Made the trek to Mizpah where they assembled with the prophet Samuel for a time of confession, judgment, prayer, fasting and pouring out water before the only true God. The One they were choosing as their one and only Lord.   

The Philistines were not fasting or praying. They were not busy changing their hearts and ways. Nope. They were spying on Israel. Like a hawk tracking a field mouse, the Philistines were aware of Israel’s every move. When they saw them assemble at Mizpah, their usually grim faces must have wreathed in smiles. Someone probably did a premature victory dance. Gathering their gear, the Philistines headed out to gather up some Israelite heads. 

 It was a terrifying moment. As the alarm cry rang out that the Philistines were coming up against the gathering, the men of Israel were filled with fear. They had been here before. They had battled the Philistines. The outcome had been horrific. Tens of thousands of foot soldiers littered the battlefield as a result of that attack. The Ark of God was taken. Eli’s sons died. Not one man still standing there was interested in a repeat of that event. 

Nearly in unison, they turned to Samuel and began to beg for his help. Surely if one of them had God’s attention, could garner heavenly aid, it would be Samuel! “Pray for us! Keep praying! Don’t stop crying out to our God! We know we can’t stand against the Philistines alone. Ask Him to save us!” Samuel did. Offering a burnt offering before the Lord, Samuel cried out to the God of Israel for hope, help, a rescue. And God answered. 

Clearly the battle acumen of the Philistines was greatly exaggerated, at least in the minds of the men of Israel. They were not the unbeatable force everyone assumed them to be. At least not to God. He didn’t even lift a finger. He just made a loud noise. Thunder. Great thunder. Thunder like no one had ever heard before. Thunder that so rattled the brains of the Philistines, they became confused and began to run away. Thunder only God could create to bring a victory only God could give. 

I don’t know if the men of Israel heard the thunder. Perhaps it was meant only for the ears of the Philistines. Perhaps God shielded their ears to keep their minds clear for battle. Perhaps the God they had so recently rededicated themselves to serving spared them the devastating effects of such an offensive sound. Regardless, they were of sound enough minds to follow hot on the heels of the fleeing Philistines. They chased and battled and struck down Philistines in a victory so great that Samuel took a large stone. Placed it precisely on that battlefield, named it Ebenezer, and announced, “This far, up to this moment, this place, the Lord has helped us.” (I Samuel 4:1-7:12)

They would need to remember it. Always. In moments of discouragement and despair, they would need to remember that stone and hold tightly to the knowledge that God, their God, the One they had chosen to follow completely, was walking with them. When the threat of battle loomed over them, they would need to look at that stone and remember that their God was not known to falter or fail. In the heat of battle, when the enemy raged in like an overwhelming flood, they would need to push aside the fear and terror, the feelings of helplessness, the sense of impending doom and fill their mind with the image of their Ebenezer. Their stone of help. The mental image of the spiritual truth that God will always come through for His people.

In times of peace, the sight of that stone, the memory of its placement, the message of its name would be integral to their spiritual survival. When all was well, the children growing, the crops flourishing, the evil one would also be working. Slyly. He would use comfort and complacency as the fertile ground on which to plant his seeds of sin. Over time, he would edge out the fervency of true service to God and slip in lackadaisical, slip-shod ways. He would fill minds with so many earthly cares, so much busyness, that there wouldn’t be time to go back and gaze on that stone, remember its meaning, and recall their total reliance on God. Without the remembrance of that stone and the words Samuel pronounced there, the people would fall to gods of wood and stone, follow the desires of their own hearts, and find themselves once again facing battles in their own strength. 

They would never win that way. Never be triumphant. Never find victory. Neither will you. You absolutely do not have the capacity to stand against the evil one and his schemes without God-your stone of help. You can’t deflect his fiery darts. You can’t dismiss his sneering voice. You can’t defend against his attacks of fear and doubt and worldly delusions without the help of Almighty God. But you have to follow Him alone to have it. He doesn’t share the credit. Doesn’t need to. There is no one with whom to share it. No one else can do what God does. (Isaiah 42:8; Psalm 83:18; Exodus 20:3-5; Isaiah 43:11; Psalm 44:5; Philippians 4:13; II Corinthians 12:9)

You know this to be true. Somewhere in your life is a time and place where you can look back and remember a mighty rescue from the hand of God. Perhaps it was the moment you realized the ominous darkness inhabiting your soul, asked Him for pardon and peace and He answered. Maybe it was the time you were fighting the forces of worry and fear of the future, yet you called to Him and He answered. Perhaps in the moment you struggled against the pull of the world, the siren call to fit in, be embraced by today’s culture, but God pulled you to Himself and embraced you with a love and acceptance that transcends every culture, every tax bracket, every soul. Maybe it wasn’t you at all. Maybe it was the gut-wrenching, groaning prayers of your soul poured out over a loved one or friend that seemed beyond the reach of grace and happy to be there. But you prayed, and your God answered. Maybe it was a moment my mind could never conjure, but you know it. You remember it. It’s your Ebenezer. Your reminder of who God is and what He does for His people. 

You need to put a rock on it. Mark your calendar. Set an annual alarm on your phone. Write a sticky note for the refrigerator door. Journal about it. Write it in lipstick on your bathroom mirror. Memorize that moment and revisit it often. You will need to because the enemy is not going to let up. He will come at you with fear and anxiety, worries and cares. He will attempt to hijack your soul with lies about your identity, your worth, your abilities. He will question your allegiance so convincingly you might be tempted to question it as well. Eventually, he will stage a violent battle for your soul. He will tell you it is impossible for you to fight him and win. He won’t be wrong. You can’t fight him in your own strength and come out victorious. Good thing you don’t have to. Your God–the One who fights for you regardless if you are perfectly fit or too tired, too hurt, too broken to battle for yourself–will bring you out triumphant. So get up there and put a rock on it. You are going to need to remember this moment. (Psalm 60:12; Deuteronomy 20:4; Isaiah 54:17; Psalm 34:17; II Corinthians 10:4-5)