A few years ago, during the summer months, I would enter my classic 1966 Corvette at local car shows with a hope of winning a trophy. Various categories of trophies are awarded at car shows by judges acknowledging a car is the "best of the best."
The monetary value of a car show trophy is typically two to four dollars, but the honor and satisfaction of what the trophy represents to the classic car owner far exceeds what the trophy is made of or the monetary value.
When an item such as a trophy represents something unrelated to cost or how it was made, this is called "symbolism."
"Symbolism" sounds like something we should not do. But, in fact, "symbolism" is a part of our life.
A few examples of "symbolism" ...a wedding ring, regardless of cost or style, symbolizes a marriage relationship; a military uniform represents so much more than simply the material sown together.
"Symbolism" is not limited to us mortals. God used "symbolism" when He explained the rainbow in the book of Genesis. God said when He sees His rainbow in the sky He will remember His everlasting promise to never again allow a flood of water to destroy all of life on earth.
Genesis 9:12-16 (NIV) And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
"Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember My covenant between Me and you and all living creatures of every kind.
"Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
"Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
Another Biblical example of "symbolism" is found in 1 Samuel chapter 7.
Following the Israelites returning their faith to the one and only God, God enabled the Israelites to defeat the Philistines. Following this battle, the prophet Samuel took a stone and ... named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the Lord helped us."
When the Israelites would look at the stone named Ebenezer, they remembered, "thus far the Lord helped us." The stone was a "symbol" to help them remember God's help.
Here we are today in the year 2023, many years from God promising the rainbow and Samuel naming a stone "Ebenezer," and we may wonder how "symbolism" can strengthen our relationship with God.
As we recently turned our calendar from the year 2022 to 2023, we can be reminded to thank God for being with us and helping us thus far. Just maybe, a calendar could be our "Ebenezer" of sorts.
When we look at the date on the calendar we can remember and give thanks to God for being with us so far in our life and pray humbly for him to be with us in the days ahead. Only by God's help can we defeat our everyday battles.
The year 2023 will more than likely produce new challenges and temptations in many areas of life.
This is an encouragement to start the new year in prayer and thankfulness, acknowledging God has been with us "thus far" ...but we need Him more than ever before in the new year.
Dennis R. Hixson of Fayetteville is a husband, father, teacher, business leader, author and mentor. Currently, Dennis teaches an adult Bible class at Prairie Grove Christian Church (Prairie Grove, AR) and Practical Biblical Application class at the Fayetteville, AR Salvation Army, Drug and Alcohol Recovery Program. Send comments and questions to: [email protected].