David Bahn – Reflections

And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. – Matthew 6:16-18

I’ve done it twice that I can remember. Having said that, I’ve perhaps undone the doing of it. But I learned something in the process. I learned that by fasting I could be more focused and intense in my prayers. I focused my prayers on the Christmas Eve service at the church I served at that time. My prayers were specific. We had about 120 in worship on a Sunday, and I prayed for 200 to be in worship on Christmas Eve that year. All day I fasted and prayed.

As I recall, there were 198 of us in worship that Christmas Eve evening! Big deal, you say? It was to me and the people of that congregation. Perhaps I should have prayed for 400 (though the church would seat at most 250)! Fasting focused my prayers.

Another time I fasted for a time of prayer and sermon planning. I went away and spent time reading the Bible, praying, and listening for God. I spent the day drinking only juice and water. Nothing happened during that time. It was as though I was focused only on fasting and not on hearing and listening to God.

As the time of fasting ended, however, something interesting happened. There is a suggested manner in which one ends a food fast. You introduce food slowly. It’s not like eating a farmer’s breakfast after sleeping all night. So as I came out of the fast new insights, ideas, and thoughts came to mind.

I had spent the day in what seemed to be unfruitful study and prayer. But those hours proved to be very fruitful. God was working in my heart in ways unknown to me during the fast. And it is as though he was teaching me that fasting isn’t the deal. His work in me is. 

Maybe we expect too little. If we think that fasting is a transactional process we’re wrong. We don’t gain Jesus Points by fasting. God doesn’t have certain deliverables due on completion of our fast. Fasting is a transformational process, because we learn truly that “man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:5).

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” – Mark 6:31

I used to be able to go long stretches of time without rest or solitude. I would withdraw to watch a hockey game on TV, or play a round of golf. I’d go for long drives to meet with other pastors. But I’d have the radio on. Before the advent of political talk radio I would listen to Bruce Williams or Art Bell or a News Radio station from California! I’d be alone but not really withdraw to a place and time of solitude. To my loss, and most likely to the loss of the people I served and the ministry of the church I led. Lord, have mercy!

Right now, as I write this, I am listening to praise music. I’m enjoying the sonic solitude as well as the space and time of no agenda or yet another meeting to attend or deadline to make. This moment of solitude is refreshing. I am at peace.

I need these moments. I needed them years ago, but the fresh energy of a younger man and the ambition of a driven man, and the need to make something of myself kept me going. 

How does it go with you? Do you have a place and time of solitude? Do you take moments, minutes, hours or longer to be with God without agenda and in silent reflection of who God is, and what he has said? How it is between you and God?

In the quiet moments we may learn something about ourselves and God that we would never otherwise appreciate. As I’ve said before* “Walk a little slower. Be a little quieter. Stay a little longer. For the world is loud and God often whispers.” That’s good advice for me. How about you?

* This quote was told me by someone who attributed it to Chuck Swindoll. It is Chuck Swindoll worthy no doubt, but whether or not he said it, I’ve said it so often that I am claiming the rubric: 

1. First time: “Chuck Swindoll said…”
2. Second time: “As I’ve said before…”
3. Third time: “As I’ve always said…”

Or to quote Rick Warren: “If my bullet fits your gun, shoot it!” Or Charlie Mueller, “When was the last time you paid a royalty for saying the Apostles’ Creed?”

Solitude: No one has a copyright on that!

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. – Romans 12:1 [NLT]

Imagine a human god – a hero of this world. She might be a sports figure or musician. He could be a politician or celebrity. These people receive adulation and honor all the time. They must even guard themselves from their fans. I suspect that many such human heros pay little attention to the fans and the throngs.

None of those will save you. None of those will give you life. None of those will answer your prayers. None of those will point you to the true north of a life well-lived. God does all this and more. He has saved us. He has redeemed us. He provides for our daily needs. For all this is proper that we should honor and worship him.

God knows every hair on our heads. He cares for us. He listens when we pray. He does not despise our worship or reject our praise. He welcomes all who come to him. In fact he has come to us in his word and sacrament. He came to us 2000 years ago and lived among us. He lived, taught, healed, performed miracles, cast out demons, died and rose from the grave. He – not our IRAs, beautiful mountain vistas, or any other thing or person of this world – will come again and take us to be with him in his kingdom of life and light, grace and joy forever. Come, let us worship him!

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. ² “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. ³ A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ ⁴ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, ⁵ but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. ⁷ Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” – Luke 18:1-8

I would like to think of myself as a man of prayer. And I do pray. I will say the Lord’s Prayer multiple times a day. I meet with three elders from our church weekly for breakfast. We talk about many different things. And then we pray. We use A Diary of Private Prayer, by John Baillie. It is eloquent and directs our thoughts to needs and opportunities that I would never imagine myself. 

A brief excerpt:

You are everlasting Mercy in the very essence of your being. Give me a tender heart today towards all those to whom the morning light brings less joy than it brings to me:

Those in whom the pulse of life grows weak:
Those who must lie in bed through all the sunny hours:
The blind, who are shut off from the light of day:
The overworked, who have no joy of leisure:
The unemployed, who have no joy of labor:
The bereaved, whose hearts and homes are desolate: 

                                                      And grant your mercy on them all.

But prayer is easily neglected – especially by those who are comfortable in life. If I’m not pressed hard and slowed by troubles and difficulties, I too easily press forward to the next urgent thing. Too often prayer is not one of those urgent things. 

Today I offered a prayer as the conclusion of my message. I offer it here and invite you, Dear Reader, to join me in praying…

Lord Jesus, have mercy on us all! We need you desperately. Let us never forget that. But let us never forget that you are with us, and that you have gifts of peace, grace and life for us. Forgive us for we have sinned – most of all by not fully believing Your word. Have mercy on us because we do struggle. Sustain us in the good fight of faith. Give us joy, O God. Give us peace, we pray. Give us your Holy Spirit. Let us find ways to be with you today: intentionally, reflectively, and joyfully. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Today is January 19, so today’s Psalms are Psalm 19; 49; 79; 109; and 139. Psalm 139 is such a powerful and beautiful Psalm, I encourage you to read the whole thing. When you get to the imprecatory portion, consider how angry you might get in certain situations. Could you express this to God as boldly as the psalmist does? Can God handle it? Can you admit it? Can you commit your way to God no matter what?

Psalm 19:1-4, 14

The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
² Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
³ There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.
⁴ Their voice goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world.

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable in your sight,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 49:16-20

Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
    when the glory of his house increases.
¹⁷ For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
    his glory will not go down after him.
¹⁸ For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed
    —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
¹⁹ his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,
    who will never again see light.
²⁰ Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 79:5

How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever?
    Will your jealousy burn like fire?

Psalm 109:30-31

With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
    I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
³¹ For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
    to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.

Psalm 139

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10

My fellow photo club friend recently shared on Facebook that he was asked if he had a personal relationship with Jesus. He answered, “Why, yes I do. I know him well. We see each other regularly. He cuts my grass.” A rather snarky answer to the woman who was most likely sincere – if not a bit out of context. We cannot challenge someone beyond the relationship level we have with them. But I digress.

What if we who identify so closely with Jesus were known for our heart of service? What if she had noticed some way in which she could have served my friend? Might that be part of the story of God’s impact in his life? I wonder if he was already having a difficult day, and a touch of God’s kindness through the hands of a Jesus follower would have brought some of the balm of Gilead to his bruised heart? 

We’ll never know. But we do know that as followers of Jesus we are called to be servants. Paying attention to widows and orphans, caring for needy and sick people, going the extra mile with someone who really needs a second-mile friend: this is our calling. 

You may know the story of Jesus in the Upper Room with his disciples on the night he was betrayed. Not the story of the Last Supper, and Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper. The story of Jesus getting up from the table, wrapping his cloak around his waist, taking a bowl of water and a towel, and washing his disciples’ feet. You can find that account in John 13:1-20. 

Jesus served his disciples in a very menial way. Washing the feet of a guest was servant’s work. And Jesus was a true servant of God and man. He showed it in that act of humble service. I just now looked at the thesaurus for synonyms for service, but none filled the bill for me. Aid, help, helping hand, ministrations: none of them serve us as well as the word service. For service reminds us of servant. Jesus was a servant. 

We are called to be little Christs. That’s what the word Christian means. Little Christ. For most people that’s not what they think of when they hear the term Christian. But maybe, just maybe, we could move the needle just a bit in that direction if we were to dedicate ourselves to serving others. 

Zach Zehnder says in his book, The Red Letter Challenge, “While serving others won’t save you, it may help save someone else.” I’ve got to cogitate on that a bit…You?

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. – Ephesians 4:32

Imagine, if you will, the most perfect person in the world. Kind. Generous. Gracious. Understanding. Faithful. Honest. Generous. Reliable. Compassionate. Someone like that would be just a notch or two below Jesus. Now imagine a person who is the incarnation of evil. Vile. Ruthless. Conniving. Scheming. Selfish. Murderous. Abusive. Petty. Miserly.

If you put these two people on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “almost like Jesus” and 10 being “worse than Adolf Hitler,” where would you put yourself? Are you a 3? 5? 8?

Who needs more forgiveness? Is it the Stalins or the Mother Theresas of the world who stand in greatest need of forgiving grace? Perhaps an illustration will help. If you’re standing on the precipice of a great chasm, you know falling would mean certain death. Whether you take a small – even accidental – step, you’ll die. If you take a running leap, you’ll die.

The same is true of sin. Little or much sin kills. But thanks be to God: he has forgiven your sin and mine by Jesus’ death on the cross and secured our salvation by his resurrection from the grave. Jesus’ death is sufficient for all of us. No matter the extent or the gravity of our sins.

Forgiven we are to forgive. Maybe you need to lean into God’s forgiveness for you. Perhaps you need to forgive. In either case, forgiveness forms the foundation for life  together with God.

Jesus asks, “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). 

We are beginning a 40 day challenge at St. John, of reading the words of Jesus and doing the things he calls us to do. We start with being: deepening our relationship with Jesus by spending time with him and reflecting on his word and character. There are four practices that deepen our relationship with Jesus:

• Spending time with Jesus
• Worshiping with others
• Reading the Bible
• Praying

Being with Jesus is essential to doing what Jesus commands. For that reason being is foundational and of primary importance.

This is a challenge for me. I’m not inclined toward just “being” with anyone. I want things to happen. I want to do things. I get bored with inactivity and inertia.

That shows up one way in how I keep my email inbox absolutely empty. My goal each day is to empty my inbox. I use it as my check list, and if I don’t need to act right then, I will often just put it into an appointment on my calendar. (I just checked, and I’m happy to say my email inbox still empty. I’m serious about this!)

Being means that I’m at peace with God and with myself. It means that I embrace the grace and truth of who Jesus is and rejoice in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It means that I pray to him both by expressing the desires of my heart, and by listening to his voice and seeking to know his word.

So now is the time to be with Jesus. There will be time for doing. But for now, I will just be. Will you join me?

[Jesus said to the lawyer] “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” ³⁷ [The Lawyer] said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Seth Gehrke led our staff devotions today and invited us to imagine how the message of Jesus might have impacted the lawyer who asked Jesus the question, “Who is my neighbor?” We don’t know what happened. There is not even a hint of his reaction to Jesus’ command, “Go and do likewise.” You can check out the story here (Luke 10:25-37). (It might be good to do so even if you think you know it already.)

What if the lawyer had been touched by Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan? Put this into the modern day context and imagine what the impact would be. We shared some thoughts, some possible changes in behavior of a modern-day lawyer who was moved by Jesus’ teachings to show mercy.

It was a delightful exercise to consider how someone’s life might be changed by the message of Jesus: The lawyer we imagined…

• Takes the case of the woman whose husband has left her and charges her no fee.
• Gives his receptionist time off to care for her aging mother and doesn’t dock her pay.
• Doesn’t lose his temper when someone cuts him off in traffic, and arrives home in a better mood. He is easier to live with at home.
• Sleeps better at night in the peace that a life of mercy brings.
• Mentors a young and struggling intern and helps him prepare for the Bar exam even though he loses some billable hours by doing so.
• Tells his partners about his new way of looking at things and shares the way Jesus’ teaching has impacted his life.
• Abandons some secret addictions and finds grace for himself and others.

It makes me think of ways in which my own personal mercy quotient might be raised if I take Jesus’ teachings more seriously. We don’t know what happened to the lawyer in this case. But we do know people who have taken Jesus’ words to heart. She is the kind and merciful friend who cleans your house and leaves dinner for your family when you’re sick. He’s the co-worker who is willing to donate his vacation days to a friend who is battling cancer.

What showing-mercy ideas does this trigger in your mind?

God reveals deep and hidden things. Daniel 2:22

O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! Romans 11:33

“We know precious little about God, but the little we know is precious.” This quote by Dr. Dale Meyer is actually his quote of a professor at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. I love this thought! It is a reminder of our need to hold lightly our claim to know about God. It also reminds us that the truth that has been revealed to us is valuable and worth holding on to tightly.

It is also a reminder that what we know about God we know only because he has revealed it to us. It’s not something that we can know instinctively. There are truths and deep insights, wisdom and knowledge that only God can reveal. We know precious little, but the little we know is precious.

This reminds me that there will certainly be new depths of knowledge and truths about God yet to be revealed. “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror,” Paul says, “but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely” (1 Corinthians 13:12). There is more to be revealed to us and understood by us.

This calls for humble anticipation. What will it be like when we see Jesus face to face? What will be our experience when we face the final Day? I believe it will be two-fold amazement. We will be amazed at the desperate need we have for the grace of God. We will also be overwhelmed with joy in the abundance, beauty, glory, and splendor of God’s wisdom and grace. I can’t even imagine!