1 Samuel 6-7: Stone of Help

The Israelites have done it this time.  They've lost the Ark.  It's not really lost, just in the hands of the Philistines.  And the Philistines, who originally thought it was a good idea to take the Ark, have had second thoughts.  They have been plagued ever since they took it by tumors and rats.  So, they devise a scheme to send the Ark back to the Israelites that involved making golden tumors and rats and putting them in a chest on a cart along with the Ark, hitching two cows up to the cart, and watching to see if the cows take the Ark back to Israel.  They figure if the cows go back to Beth Shemesh, it was the God of Israel that caused all of their suffering.  And so it was.

The Israelites, in the meantime rejoice to have the Ark back in their possession, but their rejoicing is tempered when God strikes down seventy of the men of Beth Shemesh for looking into the Ark.  So, much like when they came out of Israel and told Moses he could go into God's presence for all of them, they wrestle with the question "Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?"  - 1 Sam. 6:21 NIV

They decide to send a message to Kiriath Jearim to come take possession of the Ark and they do so, consecrating Eleazar to guard the Ark.  For twenty years the Ark sat in Kiraith Jearim. Then, once they put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, Samuel consented to intercede for them and the final showdown, to see if God would once again be on their side against the Philistines, took place at Mizpah.  He was.  'Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,  saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."' - 1 Sam. 7:12 NIV

And so, Ebenezer which means 'stone of help' is a testament to God's willingness to help a wayward people, and a reminder of our waywardness.

Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I'm come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.. —Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing