Listen

God spread out clouds as a covering; gave lightning to provide light at night. The people asked, and God brought quail; God filled them full with food from heaven. God opened the rock and out gushed water— flowing like a river through the desert! Because God remembered his holy promise to Abraham his servant, God brought his people out with rejoicing, his chosen ones with songs of joy. God gave them the lands of other nations; they inherited the wealth of many peoples— all so that they would keep his laws and observe his instructions.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 105:39-45

Think

When life is full and lots is happening, I sometimes feel caught in a whirlwind of experiences: good and not-so-good. It can be overwhelming.

One way to make sense of my life is to talk about it, to tell a story about my life. It might begin at the dinner table or on a walk with a good friend. “You won’t believe what happened to me today.”

As I recount the story of my day – what happened, whom I encountered, what I did, how I felt – it can all start to make sense to me in a way it didn’t make sense when I was living through it.

Our minds like to use storytelling as a way to make sense of life. As we sort through our memories, we look for patterns and underlying meaning.

The psalmist is telling just such a story about the Israelites in the desert: The people asked, and God provided! Protection, water and food, a home they could call their own, they were showered with blessings. That story has provided hope and inspiration for thousands of years – for the Israelites and for us, too.

Jane Claspy Nesmith

Question to Ponder:

What challenging things have happened to you recently? Can you tell the story?

Pray

Loving God, my life isn’t always easy. Sometimes, I complain.

But I still want to be part of your story.

As I tell my own stories, help me to recognize the blessings you have showered on me, and let my gratitude draw me closer to you.

Amen.

Go

Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:

Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel.

God has never let you down.

from Psalm 22:22-24 (The Message)