I feel fortunate to come from a family of storytellers, men and women who keep our family’s history alive by recounting to younger generations the tales of days gone by. Each old story inevitably holds a valuable lesson for today. We learn a lesson in honesty from the story of a Minnesota farm boy who confesses his wrongdoing expecting punishment but receiving mercy. We learn a lesson of trust from the blind workhorse who will outpull any other horse as long as his master’s hand is at the reins. We learn courage from the small dog who faces down an angry bull and thereby saves my grandfather’s life. We hear stories of war and of times of celebration and of surviving the Great Depression. Our family stories make us laugh, make us cry, and make us think.

In today’s reading, the psalmist reminds readers to be grateful for the many different times and ways the Lord God has led them. The psalmist reminds us of the desert places from which we’ve been delivered and the lean times when God has been faithful to provide. These memories are meant to invoke in us gratitude for all the Lord has done for us.

The psalmist instructs us not only to recall the ways the Lord has led us but also to tell others what the Lord has done for us. Our Bible, full of stories with continuously relevant life lessons, serves as our example. We read and tell these stories to remember the Lord’s goodness and love for us.