God Speaks to Us Through Ancient Stories
Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash
This devotion is taken from our 2025 Lent in a Box resource, Unbroken: A Living Faith created in partnership with The Lutheran Center at St. Olaf and grounded in the work of the Living Catechism Project. Each week's theme is based around one of the teachings of the Living Catechism. View the weekly videos and download the daily spiritual practices and reflections on this website.
Core Theme Idea:
God speaks to us through Scripture and Spirit. God speaks to us through ancient stories, evocative poetry, fiery prophecy, and intimate correspondence. The Bible has been handed down from generation to generation, carefully translated and boldly interpreted, so that we might open it and hear good news. And God is still speaking, as we gather together to ponder these stories anew, encounter wisdom from traditions different from our own, or wrestle with a message preached into contemporary life.
Watch the video for Week 1 here.
Week 1, Day 1:
God is speaking to you through whispers and wails, through the wind and the waves, through strangers and loved ones. Lent is a beautiful time to quiet ourselves and listen. Begin your spiritual practice today with intentional listening. Find a comfortable place to sit and create a shape with your body that is alert and calm. Take some light movement, maybe rocking, swaying, or taking some slow neck rolls or shoulder circles. Then move toward stillness, eventually shutting down your eyes or taking a soft gaze inward. Listen to the sounds in the room. Then listen to the sound of your breath, noticing the cadence of your inhales and exhales. Then allow your exhales to bring your awareness into your body and for several moments listen to what your body is communicating to you.
Today, notice how God is speaking to you through stories. We are swimming in stories that are rich and offer meaning. Stories remind us of where we came from and how we are interconnected. They can present messy, beautiful truth in a way that facts do not. They bring us back to ourselves and hold us in the web of creation, including our ancestors and descendants.
Choose a story, biblical or not. Don’t overthink your choice, just notice what story rises to the surface. The stories that are important to you have accompanied you for a reason. If none come to mind, think of a picture book you loved as a child. Ask, “God who speaks through story, what truth are you inviting me to remember today?” Ponder the story anew. If you have the time, read the story with an open mind and heart. If not, simply reflect on the story you hold and notice what parts of the story are shimmering with God’s voice. What good news might the story carry for you today?
