I don’t know about your family, but when ours gets together it is fairly common for us to discuss our shared history. Sometimes, we retell relatively minor tales like the time we kids sneaked downstairs very early on Christmas morning to get an early look at the latest additions to our toy collections. Our recollections of such occurrences bring smiles to our faces and a connection to days-gone-by. Of course some stories we recount are of much more serious nature, such as the events surrounding the death of my uncle Ray some thirty years ago. Uncle Ray was a history teacher and football coach, whose zeal for life was both contagious and intimidating. Though I was fairly young when he passed away, I still feel impact of his life.
But why do we tell such stories? What makes them so important to us? Though I am sure there are a number of reasonable explanations, I think the most basic one is that these stories somehow give to us a sense of identity. When we tell them, we are in effect saying, “This is who we are. We are a people united by our common past.” Somehow, the stories we tell draw us together, providing the impetus for the life we desire to live in the present and the future.
Have you ever considered the fact that God loves stories? Indeed, He is the consummate story-teller. Think for a moment how much of the Bible is the communication of His stories. Among many others, we are told of the creation, the great flood of Noah’s day, Daniel in the Lion’s den, and Moses and the Exodus from Egyptian tyranny. Of course the greatest of them all is the story of Jesus. His birth, life, teachings, betrayal, death, and resurrection have been the topic of countless books, novels, movies, plays, and discussions. Again, God loves stories.
With all of this emphasis in Scripture, it is rather strange to find many within the church ignoring this important element of the faith. Far too often, the church has specialized in formulaic Christianity. Study and repeat the right formula, recount the correct propositions, and somehow you’ll do just fine spiritually. Though we would be foolish to ignore the propositional aspects of the faith, it is equally insane to attempt to live our lives in a merely propositional fashion. It is not enough for us to simply store away facts (even good facts, true facts, biblical facts). We must also connect with God Himself through the stories He has told for our benefit.
I would like to suggest that one of the most invigorating, motivating, unity-promoting things we can do is to tell our stories. The narrative portions of Scripture draw us together in a common bond as we recount the history of our predecessors, as we repeat the stories of God’s intervention in the lives of people just like us.
The narrative portions of God’s word have many purposes. Sometimes, they warn us. Other times, they encourage. Very often, they cause us to marvel at the majestic ways of our Lord. Always, they remind us that the God who did just marvelous things “then” is also our God. Though interpretive discernment teaches us to be careful not to misapply the narrative sections of Scripture (e.g., though God once spoke through a donkey, we are nowhere guaranteed that our favorite pet will have a word of wisdom for us :-) ), the overall effect of the Bible’s stories is to show us that the Lord of the narrative is our Lord, and we are His people.
Often times, when our family shares its stories, I leave our gatherings feeling invigorated and much closer to the other members of the family. Our family narrative somehow works its magic in my soul and draws us all together. In a similar yet even more profound way, the narrative aspects of Scripture are intended to work their magic. Noah, Abraham, and Moses are entry points into a relationship with the God who not only invades their lives but ours as well. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are snapshots of the divine-human savior in action. As we trace His steps, observing His story, we find ourselves somehow connecting with Him.
It is unfortunate that in certain Christian circles, the stories of the Scripture are treated like a mere addendum to our faith, curios and interesting, perhaps, but not all that relevant. However, a more balanced reading of the Bible reveals that these stories play a critical role in both our spiritual development and our desire to encourage others. Certainly, we must give due weight to the propositional truths of God’s word. The Bible contains propositions, theological statements, and explanations of historical occurrences. But, as important as these are, we must not miss the stories God has revealed.
Jesus loved to tell stories because they revealed God in a way that nothing else could. May we, too, learn to enter the greatest story ever told, the story He is still telling in the lives of those who hear His voice.
But why do we tell such stories? What makes them so important to us? Though I am sure there are a number of reasonable explanations, I think the most basic one is that these stories somehow give to us a sense of identity. When we tell them, we are in effect saying, “This is who we are. We are a people united by our common past.” Somehow, the stories we tell draw us together, providing the impetus for the life we desire to live in the present and the future.
Have you ever considered the fact that God loves stories? Indeed, He is the consummate story-teller. Think for a moment how much of the Bible is the communication of His stories. Among many others, we are told of the creation, the great flood of Noah’s day, Daniel in the Lion’s den, and Moses and the Exodus from Egyptian tyranny. Of course the greatest of them all is the story of Jesus. His birth, life, teachings, betrayal, death, and resurrection have been the topic of countless books, novels, movies, plays, and discussions. Again, God loves stories.
With all of this emphasis in Scripture, it is rather strange to find many within the church ignoring this important element of the faith. Far too often, the church has specialized in formulaic Christianity. Study and repeat the right formula, recount the correct propositions, and somehow you’ll do just fine spiritually. Though we would be foolish to ignore the propositional aspects of the faith, it is equally insane to attempt to live our lives in a merely propositional fashion. It is not enough for us to simply store away facts (even good facts, true facts, biblical facts). We must also connect with God Himself through the stories He has told for our benefit.
I would like to suggest that one of the most invigorating, motivating, unity-promoting things we can do is to tell our stories. The narrative portions of Scripture draw us together in a common bond as we recount the history of our predecessors, as we repeat the stories of God’s intervention in the lives of people just like us.
The narrative portions of God’s word have many purposes. Sometimes, they warn us. Other times, they encourage. Very often, they cause us to marvel at the majestic ways of our Lord. Always, they remind us that the God who did just marvelous things “then” is also our God. Though interpretive discernment teaches us to be careful not to misapply the narrative sections of Scripture (e.g., though God once spoke through a donkey, we are nowhere guaranteed that our favorite pet will have a word of wisdom for us :-) ), the overall effect of the Bible’s stories is to show us that the Lord of the narrative is our Lord, and we are His people.
Often times, when our family shares its stories, I leave our gatherings feeling invigorated and much closer to the other members of the family. Our family narrative somehow works its magic in my soul and draws us all together. In a similar yet even more profound way, the narrative aspects of Scripture are intended to work their magic. Noah, Abraham, and Moses are entry points into a relationship with the God who not only invades their lives but ours as well. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are snapshots of the divine-human savior in action. As we trace His steps, observing His story, we find ourselves somehow connecting with Him.
It is unfortunate that in certain Christian circles, the stories of the Scripture are treated like a mere addendum to our faith, curios and interesting, perhaps, but not all that relevant. However, a more balanced reading of the Bible reveals that these stories play a critical role in both our spiritual development and our desire to encourage others. Certainly, we must give due weight to the propositional truths of God’s word. The Bible contains propositions, theological statements, and explanations of historical occurrences. But, as important as these are, we must not miss the stories God has revealed.
Jesus loved to tell stories because they revealed God in a way that nothing else could. May we, too, learn to enter the greatest story ever told, the story He is still telling in the lives of those who hear His voice.
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