On Sunday while I was preaching to our Hispanic brethren in Spanish, Harry Fittzgerald, our Adult Ed minister, filled in for me in the main auditorium.
Harry preached from I Sam. 7:12 about Samuel’s “stone of help” (Ebenezer) that was erected after a victory over the Philistines. The verse reads: “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.’”
Due to an incredible event earlier in the week Harry had the perfect personal sermon illustration. A week ago Tuesday Harry was at Pontiac Coffee House (a local establishment here in Springdale) having a cup of Joe and preparing for an afternoon Bible class. He was one of two customers in the store. At one point Harry’s coffee had gotten cold and so he went to the counter to ask to have it warmed up. Harry’s change of location would turn out to be a blessing.
A pickup truck, traveling at about 40 mph, crashed through the plate-glass window on the South side of Pontiac Coffee (the side opposite the counter). The only other customer in the store was at a table that was hit; he found himself outside the store through the plate-glass on the west side, he was blessed to somehow only have received a bloody nose and lacerations to the face.
We’re all grateful that Harry is ok and made it through such a traumatic event. Maybe when they reopen Pontiac we should call it Ebenezer’s.
