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.”

Though we had done nothing wrong…

Psalm 44:15-22

All day long my disgrace is before me,
and shame has covered my face
16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler,
at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.

17 All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten you,
and we have not been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
nor have our steps departed from your way;
19 yet you have broken us in the place of jackals
and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 would not God discover this?
For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

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It may sound a bit trite, but it is most certainly true: bad things happen to good people. That truth is expressed by these words from Psalm 44. Especially touching are the words of verse 17, “All this has come upon us though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant.” I read these words as a sincere lament, not as an accusation against God, nor the “poor, pitiful me” protest of an ego-centric whiner.

The reality of such circumstance is one thing. Our response is quite another. Angry hearts, bent on blaming God for his unfair treatment will reel and rail against God. Self-centered souls will require the world to turn around the axis of their own sensibilities. Hopeless hearts will embrace only the current sadness without any thought of a better tomorrow. The arrogant and proud heart will curse God, accusing him, and seeking to call him to account – the folly! Faithless hearts will become resentful, callous and bitter.

Broken but faithful hearts, however, will seek God and yearn for the healing balm of his love and kindness. St. Paul quotes this psalm in Romans 8:35-39:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Bad things do happen to good people because we live in a sinful and fallen world. Things are not always as they ought to be. But we have been redeemed. As we look toward the cross of Jesus we see the ultimate expression of bad happening to one who was perfectly good. But from that sprang our salvation. Even death could not preempt the ultimate good that God has in store for those who look to him.

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