Personal Ministry to a Christian Faith

Personal Ministry of Steve Kellar

1 Samuel 7:12

November 17, 2008

“Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.”
— 1 Samuel 7:12

The word “hitherto” seems like a hand pointing in the direction of the
past. Twenty years or seventy, and yet, “hitherto the Lord hath
helped!” Through poverty, through wealth, through sickness, through
health, at home, abroad, on the land, on the sea, in honour, in
dishonour, in perplexity, in joy, in trial, in triumph, in prayer, in
temptation, “hitherto hath the Lord helped us!” We delight to look down
a long avenue of trees. It is delightful to gaze from end to end of the
long vista, a sort of verdant temple, with its branching pillars and
its arches of leaves; even so look down the long aisles of your years,
at the green boughs of mercy overhead, and the strong pillars of
lovingkindness and faithfulness which bear up your joys. Are there no
birds in yonder branches singing? Surely there must be many, and they
all sing of mercy received “hitherto.”

But the word also points forward. For when a man gets up to a certain
mark and writes “hitherto,” he is not yet at the end, there is still a
distance to be traversed. More trials, more joys; more temptations,
more triumphs; more prayers, more answers; more toils, more strength;
more fights, more victories; and then come sickness, old age, disease,
death. Is it over now? No! there is more yet-awakening in Jesus’
likeness, thrones, harps, songs, psalms, white raiment, the face of
Jesus, the society of saints, the glory of God, the fulness of
eternity, the infinity of bliss. O be of good courage, believer, and
with grateful confidence raise thy “Ebenezer,” for-