SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
Love
To Tell His Story
Read: 1
Chronicles 16:7-13
Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; make known His deeds
among the peoples! —1
Chronicles 16:8
When noted author
Studs Terkel was looking for a topic for his next book, one of his friends
suggested “death.” While he was resistant at first, the idea gradually began to
take shape, but its voice became all too real when Mr. Terkel’s wife of 60
years passed away. Now the book was also a personal search: a yearning to know
what lies beyond, where his loved one had just gone. Its pages are a poignant
reminder of our own search for Jesus and the questions and concerns we have
about eternity while we walk our faith journey.
I’m thankful for the
assurance we can have that we will be with Jesus after we die if we have
trusted in Him to forgive our sin. There is no greater hope. It is now our
privilege to share that hope with as many as we can. First Peter 3:15
encourages us: “. . . always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks
you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” We have the
opportunity from God, as David said, to “call upon His name; make known His
deeds among the peoples” (1 Chron. 16:8).
The stories of so many
people we love are not yet ended, and the privilege to tell them about the love
of Jesus is a gift most precious.
I love to tell the
story; more wonderful it seems
Than all the golden
fancies of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the
story, it did so much for me;
And that is just the
reason I tell it now to thee. —Hankey
Let
our days be filled with a longing— and the opportunities—to tell our story of
Jesus.
Insight
The psalm David sings
in 1 Chronicles 16:7-33 seems to be drawn from parts of several different
psalms found in the Hebrew psalter. According to The Treasury of scripture
Knowledge, the lyrics of verses 8-22 closely parallel Psalm 105:1-15. In verses
23-33, the song seems to continue with words from Psalm 96, while the remainder
of the song (vv.34-36) relates to the ideas expressed in Psalm 106. In this
way, David’s song resembles a modern hymn medley, where parts of several songs
are combined together to express the singer’s heart of worship.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
