Tell the Story Again

By Dean Collins

We all love a good story. There are all kinds of stories we tell every day. The categories of our stories vary based on our mood and our memories. Stories can make us laugh. Stories help us to remember things and people that are important in our lives. And stories can help us grieve losses and gain confidence about the future. 

When you read through the Bible, you find a lot of stories, and many of these stories are told over and over again. One big story in scripture that we find replayed often is the story of how God brought the Israelites out of their bondage in Egypt and into the promised land. One thing you learn as you read all of the Bible is how different writers, all inspired by the Holy Spirit, connect their current story to the stories of what God did in the past.

In various places in the first five books of the Bible, we read the same story of how God promised to provide and did provide for the Israelites, even as they repeatedly disobeyed, failed to trust, and eventually repented. Toward the end of the book of Numbers, we read of the various stages of Israel’s journey through the wilderness, leading up to the beginning of Deuteronomy, where Moses recaps this journey before the Israelites are led by Joshua into the promised land.

In Psalm 44 we find a psalm written by the sons of Korah. Their story begins back in Exodus 6, when their father led a rebellion against Moses and ultimately paid the price for that rebellion. But the sons of Korah, part of the tribe of Levi, continue as the group that took care of the tabernacle as the Israelites traveled through the wilderness and into the promised land. Here in Psalm 44, the ancestors of this group tell the story of God’s provision in the Exodus story in the first hectic of their psalm. They needed to remember God’s deliverance because they found themselves in a difficult situation and once again were desperate for God’s deliverance.

Reading Psalm 44 can help us remember how God provided in our spiritual history as well. Take a few minutes and recall the times when God got you through a tough battle. Maybe it was a marital struggle, a financial hole, or a health crisis. As you look back you see God’s faithfulness. 

But like the sons of Korah, maybe now you find yourself in another season of difficulty. This psalm reminds us what to do: 

1) Remember God’s past faithfulness.

2) Pray openly about the current crisis, calling out for God to once again provide his rescue.

3) Declare your complete trust in him.

And when God delivers you this time, make sure you write or tell your story to your family and friends. It will help them understand your absolute faith in God and may be the very thing that brings them to faith or strengthens their faith when they face the challenges that come to all of us as we navigate the brokenness of this world and the salvation and grace that is ours through Christ.

Father, thank you for the familiar stories of scripture that ground us, teach us, and give us confidence that you are with us today and will be all the way until eternity. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Psalm 44:1-26 ESV

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