David Bahn – Reflections

Light from the Word and through the lens

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In 1968 Jerry Snell opened a door in the hallway outside our first hour chemistry class. He invited me into what I discovered was a darkroom. Soon I was on the school newspaper and annual staff as a photographer. Later I learned that Jerry was a Lutheran who was planning to become a pastor. A few years later I was not only a Lutheran, but I was heading off to seminary to become a Lutheran pastor, too. Jerry followed a year later and served as a pastor in Missouri until his untimely heart attack and death. I thank God for Jerry and enjoy photography still today – not to mention rejoicing in having served as a Lutheran pastor in congregations in Utah, Colorado, Arkansas and Texas. I’ve retired now and serve part time as a Congregational Support Specialist for the Texas District of the LCMS. I also provide coaching and leadership training through various PLI cohorts and with individual congregations and organizations. David Bahn is a follower of Jesus Christ, husband to Diane, father and grandfather. He is an avid amateur photographer. His photo website is “Flowers by God Photos by David” He also publishes a devotional blog DavidBahn-Reflections.com. He and Diane live in Cypress Texas and enjoy visiting their grandchildren who live in the United States and Germany. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in 1979, and earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1991. Diane, his wife, is now retired from PLI (PLIleadership.org). They have offered presentations on Marriage and Ministry Partnership, Leadership, Changing Your Congregation’s Culture, and Missional Living. They look are working with PLI International training pastors and wives of the ELVD Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania. David’s personal mission statement is “Leading people to realize Jesus’ calling and plans for their lives.”

Blessed to be a blessing

Diane and I, along with a few folks from St. John, a number of people from LifeBridge Church, and others went to the Los Arcos Apartments last night to help out with the school uniform give-away organized by Pastor Micheal Meissner and the people at LifeBridge. We truly were blessed to be a blessing.

Work Hard Play Hard Pray Hard
The boy's T-shirt says it well: Work Hard Play Hard Pray Hard. The woman here was greeting and praying for all the children from Nepal. These are refugee families' children who just recently arrived in the United States.

Genesis 12:1-3

1Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

We have been blessed so that we may be a blessing to others; the gifts we have received are not just for us and only for the sake of our benefit. We have a sacred trust from God. We are stewards of his blessings: meant to be shared with others.

It starts with God’s blessing to us to be sure. In the case of Abram, God sought him out. God called him. God sent him. God promised to bless him with land and descendants. God poured out his blessings on Abram. He has poured out his blessings on us too. We are children of Abraham – not only by means of faith, but evidenced by the wealth and riches we enjoy. Most of all we have been blessed by God with abundant eternal life through the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

But last night I began to experience an even fuller meaning of “blessed to be a blessing.” Not only were we blessed (in the past) so that we had the means by which we could offer blessings of clothing and prayer to these children (who came from all over the world – seven different languages were identified among them last night!). We were blessed by being there and seeing the smiles on their faces and the deep-down knowledge that we had done something good in Jesus’ name.

Whenever we go to others with God’s grace and kindness we are blessed. Sometimes it’s not so obvious; people may spurn our gifts or take advantage of us. But last night we were blessed in being a blessing to others.

May the name of Jesus be praised!

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