It Was Just a Block of Wood. Or Was It?

When has God shown up and made you say, “Thus far the Lord has helped us”? Do you have an Ebenezer, a “stone of help”, to remember God’s faithfulness?

Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”  1 Samuel 7:12

It was just an ordinary block of wood.

A staff member found it on the side of the road. To most, it might look like leftover construction wood. To our staff member, it looked like a sign of God’s help. They still have the block of wood and think about God’s provision whenever they see it.

Here is their story.

“After getting off work, we got in the car to make an overnight trip to a family member’s funeral. This was before cell phones and in-car GPS were common, so we had printed directions. For some reason, we chose the smaller highways instead of the interstate.

We questioned the decision as the snow fell harder the further we drove. With nowhere to turn around or pull over, pressing on seemed like the only option. With the road stripes completely covered, we couldn’t tell the road from the ditch.

With no streetlights, we were in the dark except for our headlights reflecting off the falling snow. We had practically nothing to guide us.

But not nothing. We had tire tracks ahead of us. We never saw what left the tracks in the snow. We just followed the tracks, trusting that whoever left them knew where they were going and how to get there safely.

They led us throughout the night and into the morning. Then they just disappeared. They had led us to the interstate. Much like the road, the signs were covered in snow. We weren’t sure what to do. So we got out of the car and looked for a stick or something to wipe the snow off. It was a silly idea considering how tall the sign was. We quickly gave up and began to pray, thanking God for guiding us this far and asking Him to show the way.

After we prayed, we noticed this block of wood on the ground. Whether we didn’t see it before or God placed it there as we confessed our helplessness and dependence on Him, we don’t know. But we did know what to do with it. We picked up the block, threw it as high and as hard as we could at the sign. All of the snow slid off at once, showing us which way to go.

We will forever be convinced that those tracks and the block of wood were placed there by our Heavenly Father and that ‘thus far, the Lord has helped us.’ We still have that block of wood. It is our Ebenezer.”

Whether after multiple defeats from the Philistines, in the midst of a snowstorm, or in life’s difficult circumstances, God helps. God used thunder to help Israel, tire tracks and a block of wood to help a family, and for 80 years He has used generous people like you.

Through you, God helps countless others. He uses you to remind them that He has not given up on them. Through you, He places radio broadcasts, media players, literacy classes, tailoring training, and even nutrition in their lives. These are all tracks that lead to Jesus.

For The Tide ministry, the 80th Anniversary Dinner is a type of Ebenezer. It is a time of reflecting on what God has done in the past so we can step into the future with faith and confidence. We want you to join us for the celebration because you are part of the story.

Reserve your spot today for this free dinner.  We will recognize how God has worked through you to bring many people into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus, and we will remember what will always be ingrained in our hearts: The Lord has helped thus far.