Storytelling

Eight months into his tour of duty in Vietnam, Navy gunner Dave Roever burned horrifically when a phosphorous grenade exploded in his hand.   This mild mannered Texan spent fourteen months in a hospital undergoing several major surgeries.  By God’s grace, he lived.  Yet, what he does with his survival is truly heroic.  ​

Instead of feeling sorry for himself and leading a private life away from the eyes of people who naturally recoil at the sight of burn victims, Dave is a public speaker.  Combining humor and hope, he internationally shares the awesome love of Jesus to all who will listen.  His accounts of God working through his pain, recovery, challenges, and victories both past and present inspire his listeners.[1]
 
Meditation
Judges 2:10-12—That whole generation was also gathered to their ancestors. After them another generation rose up who did not know the LORD or the works He had done for Israel.  The Israelites did what was evil in the LORD's sight. They worshiped the Baals and abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods from the surrounding peoples and bowed down to them. They infuriated the LORD,
 
In Judges 2:10 we can surmise that know does not mean ignorant to God’s existence.  What it suggests is that there was no longer a relationship with Him.   Gideon said to a visiting angel, “Please Sir, if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened?  And where are all His wonders that our fathers told us about? They said, ‘Hasn’t the LORD brought us out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian” (Jud. 6:13). Gideon knew about God but his family was worshipping Baal, a local spirit deity and cult image (see 6:25).  It is poignant that he blames God for abandoning Israel when clearly the opposite is true.  
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When local gods replace God whose storytelling is at work? Israel chose to follow their evil neighbors.  What they heard appealed to their nature.  When idolatry is prevalent stories of what God used to do became irrelevant. There is a reason churches are decreasing across America—just listen to the stories.  
Our challenge and privilege is to know God and experience His working today!  Our responsibility is to share our stories.  When we do so, we:  

• give credible evidence to the certainty of God 
• proclaim God’s transforming, salvific work 
• plant seeds of hope and anticipation that the Lord who waxed wonders in us will do the same for our listeners
• provide information that is most easily remembered and retold!  

 
Inspiration
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.—Arabella K. Hankey 
 
©2011 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)
 


[1]http://www.daveroever.org/roeverstory.php