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.”

Walking with God

Hebrews 11:4-7

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

“Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). This is a startling verse from Genesis 5, the “…and he died” chapter of the Bible. God told Adam and Eve that they must not eat the forbidden fruit for if they did they would die. After their disobedience death comes calling in a furious consistency. Cain kills Abel: Death comes as an exclamation point to their disobedience. Then in Genesis 5 the refrain rings out: “…and he died.” Eight times this death nell tolls in this chapter. But Enoch – right in the middle of this sad refrain simply “was not, for God took him.” Not only does he not die; he is taken to be with God.

Hebrews tells us that Enoch was commended as having pleased God, and that by faith. I wish we knew more about him. But what we do know is important. Enoch was the example of a life-long, long-term faithfulness. He pleased God by faith. We can all aspire to Enoch-like long-term faithfulness. For faith is not just a matter of momentary mental clarity in the midst of a crisis or sudden moral dilema.

Faith is a relationship of repentance and trust that is expressed in a life of love and obedience. We will never obey our way to faith, but we must never think faith without obedience is real faith. We may never live a single day without giving into temptation in subtle or substantive ways. But Enoch-like, long-term faith puts us back on the path of life with God. Walking with God is our calling for life, not an occasional hobby or a flash-in-the-pan fleeting emotional experience.

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