Hither, by Thy Help I'm Come

We watched an episode of "Music & the Spoken Word" by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir this morning. They sang "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" which is a favorite of some in our family. Here's the message that was given before they sang. It helped me understand more about the words of the hymn.

Some 3,000 years ago, Samuel the prophet led ancient Israel to victory over a powerful enemy. Samuel placed a large stone at the place of their deliverance and dedicated it as a monument to God's assistance. He called the stone "Eben-ezer," which meant "stone of help." The stone became a symbol of the Lord's goodness and strength.

This practice of raising memorials to divine help has deep roots in ancient Israel. Generations earlier, after Israelites crossed the mighty Jordan River on dry ground and entered the promised land, their leader, Joshua, commanded the people to gather 12 stones from the river and build a monument. He explained that the purpose of the monument was to build faith in future generations, that "when their children ask...in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?" they could tell their children how the Lord helped them in their hour of need.

The beloved hymn "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" alludes to this biblical practice with these words:
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safety to arrive at home.

Life is full of rivers to cross, full of challenges to overcome. However, those who see with an eye of faith undertand that they did not cross their rivers alone. In a way, each of us could raise an Ebenezer, a memorial of the divine assistance, heavenly favor, and forgiveness extended to us. It may not be a monument of stone--indeed, hearts filled with humility and gratitude are the most meaningful memorials. Whatever form our memorial takes, acknowledging the help we've received renews our hope that by His good pleasure and in His due time, we will safely arrive at home.