“BUT GOD!”
Published Feb 9, 2021
By Joyel Vandenboogart
1 Samuel 7:12 says Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
A little over three years ago my uncle took his life. The pain and wounds feels so fresh. So raw. Honestly there are days where I ask God why… if I’m really honest it is almost every day. If He is all powerful and all good then how do these things happen?
Do you have a But God story? Have you heard the story of Joseph in the Bible? He had multiple But God moments. He shouldn’t have lived as His brothers sold Him But God… And the story goes on and on. What is your But God story? I personally struggle with mental health challenges and shouldn’t be standing here today. I didn’t want to be here but it was one of my But God stories, and honestly I question why God didn’t do a miracle to save Bill.
There is a verse in 1 Samuel 7:12 that talks about your Ebenezer. We also hear it in the famous song Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing where we sing “now I raise my Ebenezer”. Do you know what that means? To raise a stone of help. We talk about the divine grace that is our help. I have a friend who saves particular items from times in his life and has them in a box to remember His But God moments… I didn’t start a literal Ebenezer, but I have a journal full of my But God moments that is my Ebenezer. These moments and memories help me remember that in the midst of pain and tragedy that God is still Good. It helps me remember the ways He has been faithful and continues to fulfill His promises.
The song that was played at my uncles funeral was the song Even If by Mercy Me a few lines in the song say “ But God, when You choose, To leave mountains unmovable, Oh give me the strength to be able to sing, It is well with my souI… I know You’re able and I know You can, Save through the fire with Your mighty hand, But even if You don’t, My hope is You alone” Will you sing that even if God doesn’t fulfill the dreams you had that you will put your hope in Him. Look at your But God moments to take time and remember them and raise you Ebenezer to remember that God is faithful that He is our only Hope!
