Life Plan Devotion #38 [Ebenezer]

Hi, Everyone.
When thinking about today's devotion, I wanted to write a personal example, but there were so many, I couldn't choose. If you've read my profile, you know why. You would be hard pressed, probably, to choose just one, too. My, God has been so good!
Have a sweet day. Tomorrow is Flashback Friday, so I'll see you again on Monday, Lord willing.


Life Plan Devotion #38 [Ebenezer]

     Yesterday's devotion was about regrets and how we should confess them to the Lord, gain forgiveness for them, learn from them, and then let them go, rather than continue to think and talk about past regrets. However, there are some things from the past that we must not forget. We must remember our Ebenezer.
     Ebenezer--I'm not talking about Ebenezer Scrooge, from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. No, for this Ebenezer, you must go back several thousand years to a decisive battle between the Israelites and the Philistines. Following that battle, the grateful Israelites set up a stone as a reminder of the Lord's help in the battle. They called that stone "Ebenezer," which means "Stone of Help," and every time the people looked at the stone, they were reminded of how God rescued them from their enemies.
     Look back on your own life. What battles have you faced? How did God help you? Did He fight with you? Did He fight for you? God is faithful. He is our true Ebenezer, our help in life's challenges. He has helped us through, answered prayer, and given us strength. May we never forget, and may we be eternally grateful.

I Samuel 7:12-13
"Samuel took a stone and set it up... He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the LORD helped us.' So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again."

What this has to do with weight loss: The weight-loss journey can sure be a battle ground, and losing weight a huge battle. However, you do not have to fight it alone. God wants to be your Helper, to fight that battle with and for you. Be sure to let Him do that, for if you do, you will be victorious, and you will be a living memorial stone of how God helped you through.

Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, when I look back on the battles I have faced in my past, I am filled with thanksgiving to You, my Helper. There have been battles that You and I fought side by side. There have been battles that I could not fight, and You fought them for me. I am filled with gratitude to You, Faithful God. Help me to raise my Ebenezer, a memorial to Your faithfulness, and may my Ebenezer be a life lived in faithfulness to You. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."

Go forth today, a living Ebenezer to The Living Ebenezer.

Blessings,
Mary

Our wonderful God just fought a battle for me this week. I had breast cancer and consequently a breast reconstruction last May. Well I've been very unhappy with the results and am still several cup sizes different on each side. I'm not looking to be a model or look like a 20 year old just normal. Well Mon. evening I went to a seminar of a plastic surgeon recommended by my oncologist and a dear friend who just had a double mastectomy and he is her surgeon as well. I thought this is great and he sounded like if anyone could fix this mess he could, so I called his office for an appointment and he refused to see me because he didn't want to step on the original surgeon's toe, professional ethics or some nonsense like that. I was devastated and just cried myself to sleep and told God I just don't want to be this way for another 20 years. Plus my DH sent an e-mail to the surgeon himself and said basically "How can you be worried about this other surgeon, who has washed his hands of her? What about Karin and her self esteem and well being?" Yesterday afternoon I got call to schedule a consultation! Now I don't know if he'll take me as a patient but I'm very hopeful that when he sees for himself how lop-sided I am he'll help me out. So praise God yet again!!!!

Thank you for reading and replying. What a wonderful story of how God works on our behalf, and how I love that he used your DH, too. How precious that must make you feel. And you are precious, to God and to your husband.
I am believing that when you have the consultation that the surgeon will say "yes." What he is probably looking for is your assurance that you're not suing the other surgeon, that you don't really blame him, but that you are looking to look more normal and to feel better about yourself.
Keep me posted.
Blessings & Prayers,
Mary