I Love to Tell the Story

This week’s devotion is authored by Joanna Hoeltge, marketing and admissions coordinator for St. Paul's Lutheran School

"In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:2-3).

"He lives and grants me daily breath; He lives, and I shall conquer death; He lives my mansion to prepare; He lives to bring me safely there" (LSB 461:7).

Seven days without prayer makes one weak.

“In My Father’s house are many mansions” – I hope yours is close to mine.

These and over a thousand other Christian messages were displayed on the back of a little white house with big black wooden letters facing Manchester Road near Sulphur Spring from 1970 to 2001. The house belonged to my grandparents (and St. Paul’s members), Al and Lil Bender, and their "Thought for the Week" served as a bold Christian witness to millions of passersby. Often when the Benders’ house phone rang — which they routinely answered, “Hello! Jesus loves you!” — utter strangers shared how reading the messages along their commute had turned their hearts and lives toward Jesus. 

"Thought for the Week" was Al Bender’s passion project to proclaim the passion of Christ. He knew a love so deep and profound that he loved to tell the story to all — a love like this:


Jesus humbled Himself so that you could be exalted (Phil. 2:8). He bore the shame of your sins so that you could be pardoned. He was bound so that you could be free. He was mocked so that you could be venerated. He was wounded so that you could be healed (Is. 53:5). He was tortured so that you could have joy. He thirsted so that you could be quenched with living water (John 4:14; 7:37-38; 19:28). He was forsaken so that you could be favored (Mark 15:34). He died so that you could live (John 11:25). And He lifted Himself up again (John 10:17) so that you could ascend the ladder to paradise — and never come down (Gen. 28:12, Luke 23:43). He goes to prepare a place for you so that where He is, you may be also — eternally!

"In My Father’s house are many mansions" — I hope yours is close to mine.

Today would have been Al Bender’s 101st birthday. I picture him sketching out his next message on a notepad, crafting its wooden letters by hand while humming "I Love to Tell the Story," faithfully climbing his ladder on weakened knees, and hanging the letters on rusty wire with the hope of reaching even one soul for Jesus. I picture him climbing the ladder to heaven and being welcomed in the warm and loving arms of Jesus. I think about the joy set before Jesus to triumph over sin, redeem His people, and return to His father in glory (Heb. 12:2) to receive Al and all believers — and I think about the absolute joy it must give Al to live eternally alongside those to whom he was able to “tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.”

Is there a better story to tell? 

I Love to Tell the Story

Stanzas 3 and 4

I love to tell the story;

'tis pleasant to repeat

what seems, each time I tell it

more wonderfully sweet.

I love to tell the story;

for some have never heard

the message of salvation

from God's own Holy Word. 

Refrain:

I love to tell the story!

'Twill be my theme in glory

to tell the old, old story

of Jesus and His love.

I love to tell the story,

for those who know it best

seem hungering and thirsting

to hear it like the rest.

And when in scenes of glory

I sing the new, new song,

‘twill be the old, old story

that I have loved so long.

Text: Katherine Hankey, 1866. Music: William G. Fischer, 1869.