David Bahn – Reflections

The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
    let the many coastlands be glad!
² Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
³ Fire goes before him
    and burns up his adversaries all around.
⁴ His lightnings light up the world;
    the earth sees and trembles.
⁵ The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
    before the LORD of all the earth.

⁶ The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
    and all the peoples see his glory.
⁷ All worshipers of images are put to shame,
    who make their boast in worthless idols;
    worship him, all you gods!

⁸ Zion hears and is glad,
    and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
    because of your judgments, O LORD.
⁹ For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;
    you are exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰ O you who love the LORD, hate evil!
    He preserves the lives of his saints;
    he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
¹¹ Light is sown for the righteous,
    and joy for the upright in heart.
¹² Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,
    and give thanks to his holy name!

My friend, Dennis, was going to come over to the motel to swim. It was my parents’ motel where I grew up and where we lived for 10 years of my formative life. I became a really popular guy when my parents added a swimming pool. That was one of 17 additions to the motel during it’s nearly 30 year history as our family business. I was oblivious to the attention the girls gave me, and was really happy that Dennis was going to come for the afternoon.

But then the call came. Dennis wasn’t coming. I was one very disappointed boy of 11.

Then there was a comment Diane made during one of our many long-distance phone conversations 51 years ago. She was in school at Valparaiso University in Indiana. I was finishing my college degree at Southeast Missouri State University in my home town of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. As we were talking I began to realize that she was saying, “Yes,” to a question I had proposed 7 months earlier. It was a terribly unromantic proposal, but I was sincere, ready to be engaged and ready to plan our wedding. She was not ready for that at the time.

During that phone conversation 7 months later, I realized she was ready. And I asked her, “You mean we are going to get married?” “Why yes,” she said. It was kind of like, “Of course we are you silly man.” Silly or not I was over-the-moon-happy. I don’t recall what I said after that, but I do recall the feeling of joy and elation.

⁸ Zion hears and is glad,
    and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
    because of your judgments, O LORD.
⁹ For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;
    you are exalted far above all gods.

Diane is not most high over all the earth. She is not exalted above all gods – even though she has continued to bring me great joy. It’s the LORD who is most high. It is he whose judgments causes gladness and joy of the eternal kind.

God gets it right – although to put it that way is dangerously close to self-idolatry. I don’t really have the right to declare whether God is right or wrong. But the witness of all of Scripture vindicates the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the one who took on human flesh, humbled himself and took the form of a servant and died for our sins. Then on the third day rose from the dead. And if that doesn’t vindicate the truth of God’s word, only his final appearing and irreproachable and incontestable judgement will do so.

Better we realize that now, and thank God that when we face that final appearing we will be saved by the merciful kindness of God who for the sake of Jesus’ suffering and death saved us, forgave us, redeemed us. God’s judgment for all those who believe in Jesus is “Not Guilty.” That is a cause for eternal joy and glory and praise to the LORD, Jesus Christ.