October 15, 2026
After God helps Israel against the Philistines, Samuel sets up a stone and names it Ebenezer, saying that the Lord has helped them to that point. The stone becomes a physical reminder that their present life rests on God’s past faithfulness.
Devotional
We are often better at remembering problems than remembering grace. One difficult day can fill our entire field of vision. We remember the prayer that has not been answered, the person who disappointed us, the bill that arrived unexpectedly, or the plan that fell apart. Meanwhile, dozens of quiet mercies can pass almost unnoticed.
Samuel understands the importance of memory. After God helps Israel, Samuel places a stone where the people can see it. The stone itself has no power. It simply serves as a reminder. When Israel sees it later, they can remember that God helped them there.
We need reminders like that too.
Most of us have our own Ebenezers even if they are not made of stone. There are moments we can look back on and say that we did not know how we were going to make it, but grace carried us. There were seasons when we did not know what came next, yet somehow the next step appeared. There were losses we thought would break us, prayers answered differently than expected, people God placed in our path, and strength that arrived when our own strength was gone.
Remembering does not mean pretending every story turned out the way we wanted. Some prayers still hurt, and some losses remain losses. Remembering simply refuses to let the current problem erase every previous evidence of God’s faithfulness.
Fear becomes powerful when it convinces us that this moment is the whole story. Memory answers that God has been here before.
If God has carried us this far, we have reason to trust Him with the next step. We may not know exactly where the road goes from here, but we know who has been walking it with us.
Action
Create your own Ebenezer today. Write down three specific times when God carried you, provided for you, strengthened you, or placed someone beside you when you needed help. Keep the list somewhere you can return to when fear begins making you forget.
Prayer
Gracious God, forgive me for how quickly I remember trouble and how easily I forget grace. Bring to mind the ways You have carried me, provided for me, corrected me, strengthened me, and stayed with me. Let those memories become courage for today. When I cannot see what comes next, remind me that I have not reached this place alone. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Thought for the Day
Remembering yesterday’s grace can give us courage for today’s uncertainty. The God who helped us before has not stopped being faithful.
Sometimes the best answer to present fear is remembering past grace. Samuel set up a stone so Israel would not forget that the Lord had helped them. What reminders of God’s faithfulness do you carry?
