David Bahn – Reflections

Psalm 40:1-3 (See the whole psalm below)

 ¹I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
²He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
³He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD.

Yesterday I was surprised to learn that I had taken a turn in my post about blaming and thanking God that others were not expecting. It seems that at least two other people thought I was going to speak of the things for which I was thankful in relation to Barbara’s life rather than trying to make a different point. So today comes the new song of praise to God for the blessings that God gave us through Barbara.

Barbara was unrelentingly optimistic. She would look for the good in any person and every situation. Even when she spoke of the more challenging students in the alternative school, she did so with a sense of kindness, love and hope. Her cancer did not define her, nor did she complain. Not once. Never; at least not to me. Thank God for the reminder to look for and focus on the good!

Barbara was fast – except when it came to playing Scrabble (but that’s another matter)! When she was a young girl we went to look at the Christmas lights and decorations in the windows of St. Louis department stores. She decided that she wanted to explore on her own – and at her own pace. She ran so fast that I couldn’t catch her and only because she finally did stop running did we catch her. In grade school she outran everyone in her class; and there was no way I could keep up with her. She even outran our next-door-neighbor who was two years older and a fast guy himself! Thank you God for your speedy response to our prayers, and the swiftness of your holy angels!

Barbara was a friend and befriended by many. That was obvious during the last weeks of her life. Thank you God for her friends and for the blessings they brought her and us – and for the blessings she brought to them as well. Thank you, God for being our friend (John 15:15).

There are many other things for which I am thankful that have come to us through Barbara. If we are to grieve her death we must also remember her gifts. If we are to be stressed by this loss, we must also believe that God’s goodness which gave us these gifts will extend to us to today and beyond. This is the new song I must sing today: the God who has brought us this far will surely carry us into the future and provide for all our needs.

Psalm 40

¹I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
²He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
³He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD.

⁴Blessed is the man who makes
the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
⁵You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.

⁶ In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
⁷Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
⁸ I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

⁹I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O LORD.
¹⁰I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.

¹¹As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
¹²For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.

¹³ Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me!
O LORD, make haste to help me!
¹⁴ Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
¹⁵Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

¹⁶But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the LORD!”
¹⁷As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!