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.”

  • Psalm 118: Good Friday – God’s Steadfast Love on Public Display

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    David Bahn-Reflections Podcast


    Psalm 118:10-13, 25, 27-30

    All nations surrounded me;
        in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
    11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
        in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
    12 They surrounded me like bees;
        they went out like a fire among thorns;
        in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
    13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,
        but the Lord helped me.

    25 Save us, we pray, O Lord!
        O Lord, we pray, give us success!

    27 The Lord is God,
        and he has made his light to shine upon us.
    Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
        up to the horns of the altar!

    28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
        you are my God; I will extol you.
    29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
        for his steadfast love endures forever!

    <em>Rose #5</em> | Mercer Botanical Garden | March 2023

    This like all the psalms serves both to provide words for our prayers, as well as a view into the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. If you read this psalm solely as your prayer to God, you will likely find much here that resonates with your heart and soul. That is true of many of the psalms. They are rightly called the prayer book of the Bible. In fact Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote a book by that title.

    Now there is in the Holy Scriptures a book which is distinguished from all other books of the Bible by the fact that it contains only prayers. The book is the Psalms. It is at first very surprising that there is a prayer book in the Bible. The Holy Scripture is the Word of God to us. But prayers are the words of humans. How do prayers then get into the Bible? Let us make no mistake about it: the Bible is the Word of God even in the Psalms. Then are these prayers to God also God’s own word?

    He answers his own question:

    In [Jesus’] mouth the word of humans becomes the Word of God, and if we pray his prayer with him, the Word of God becomes once again the word of humans. All prayers of the Bible are such prayers which we pray together with Jesus Christ, in which he accompanies us, and through which he brings us into the presence of God. Otherwise there are no true prayers, for only in and with Jesus Christ can we truly pray. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer, PSALMS: The Prayer Book of the Bible

    I love this insight, and appreciate how Bonhoeffer has expressed it. Today, I especially want to lean in to the second part of Bonhoeffer’s thought. When we pray this psalm we are joining Jesus in his prayer. I want to read these verses as though Jesus was praying them. For indeed he was.

    As Jesus suffered on the cross, the words of this psalm surely came to his mind. He was surrounded by enemies on every side like bees surrounding someone who disturbed their hive. And in truth he cut them off. But here’s where we must be careful to see how the enemies of God are truly vanquished. For God does not send down 10 legions of angels to rescue him from his humiliating and horrific death. Jesus cut them off by remaining faithful and not giving into the idea that they were defeating him. In fact he was defeating them despite themselves.

    There is nothing going on in the visible realm – with one or two minor exceptions – that would indicate that Jesus is in any way triumphing over his enemies on the cross. But that is the witness of Scripture. Jesus “canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.  In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross” – Colossians 2:14-15 [NLT].

    Jesus triumphed over evil by resisting every temptation, manipulation, intimidation, and pressure to abandon faith in God and give into the deceitful plans of Satan. All Satan wanted was for Jesus to give up reliance on his heavenly Father. All he wanted was for Jesus to fail in his perfect obedience to God. All he wanted was for Jesus to come down from the cross and save himself.

    But Jesus did not give into Satan’s schemes. He remained true to God. And to do so he prayed. That is so very clear because he explicitly quotes from Psalm 22. That psalm is the most vivid description of Jesus’ physical suffering to be found in the Old Testament. This psalm (118), encapsules both the suffering of Psalm 22, with the victory and hope of Jesus’ triumph.

    Because of this we can pray those closing words of this psalm – even as we contemplate Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross. Because Jesus prayed this and other psalms and lived it out, and experienced the fullness of God’s deliverance. 

    [Christ Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:8-11

    Bowing the knee now and confessing that Jesus is Lord – even on the cross – to the glory of God and in honor of Jesus. And praying, “Oh give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good for his steadfast love endures forever!” Amen.

  • Psalm 118: A Psalm of Remembrance and Anticipation

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    David Bahn-Reflections Podcast


    Psalm 118:1. 14-16

    Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
        for his steadfast love endures forever!

    14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
        he has become my salvation.
    15 Glad songs of salvation
        are in the tents of the righteous:
    “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,
    16     the right hand of the Lord exalts,
        the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”

    Backlit Rose – A Closer Look | Mercer Botanical Garden | March 2023

    When I first heard the term, Maundy Thursday I thought maybe someone couldn’t make up his mind. Is it Monday or Thursday? I don’t know how long afterward that I learned that the term is from the Latin, mandatum, which means commandment. It takes its name from Jesus’ mandate to love one another in the same spirit of humility and servanthood that he had shown them when he washed his disciples’ feet. That loving service would be fully shown in Jesus’ suffering and death for the sins of the world.

    We will gather with our brothers and sisters in Christ tonight for a more solemn service (compared to Easter) as we reflect on Jesus’ gift of the Lord’s Supper, remembering his humility in washing his disciples’ feet, and pondering the coming events when at the end of the service the altar is stripped in anticipation of Judas’ betrayal, Jesus’ arrest, suffering, and crucifixion.

    The Lord is my strength and my song;
        he has become my salvation.
    15 Glad songs of salvation
        are in the tents of the righteous:
    “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,
    16     the right hand of the Lord exalts,
        the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”

    These words echo the Psalms and hymns the disciples would sing after the celebration of the Passover meal. Those psalms, (113-118 and 136) express the joy of God’s deliverance 1400 years previous to Jesus in the Exodus from Egypt. God had saved them. Salvation had come. There was much to celebrate.

    I’m sure Jesus’ mood may have puzzled the disciples. He had to be a bit restrained in his praise. The weight of the sins of the world were on his heart. They would soon be adding to his weight on the cross. He would be praying that evening in the Garden as sweat like drops of blood poured from his brow.

    This is a Psalm of remembrance and of anticipation. That the right hand of the Lord has done valiantly is history. But it is also prelude. And singing it implies that we are thankful for God’s past deliverance and that we are looking for God’s future salvation.

    We have been saved by Jesus’ death and resurrection.

    We are being saved by the Holy Spirit’s continuing work in our hearts.

    We will be saved on the Great Last Day when Jesus returns and takes his own to be with him in heaven.

    Until that day we sing our praise to God for his past blessings, and in anticipation of even greater things to come!

  • Psalm 118:5-9: Keep Looking to God

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    David Bahn-Reflections Podcast


    Psalm 118:5-9

     Out of my distress I called on the Lord;

        the Lord answered me and set me free.
    6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
        What can man do to me?
    7 The Lord is on my side as my helper;
        I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

    8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
        than to trust in man.
    9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
        than to trust in princes.

    Backlit Rose | Mercer Botanical Garden | March 2023

    Judas’ failure is notorious. He made a deal with the Pharisees to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. When the time came, he did the deed. Peter’s failure is storied. He claimed that even though all the other disciples would fall away, he would never do so. Then he betrayed Jesus, denying his Lord three times. Then will come Thomas. No betrayal. Just unbelief until he could see Jesus for himself, feel this scarred hands. The only one of the 12 who will remain with Jesus throughout his suffering and death is John. He would join Mary, Jesus’ mother, and a few other women at the foot of the cross.

    Don’t count on man or woman to save you. Because even though Mary, the women, and John were there when Jesus died, they could not save him from his plight. He would suffer. He would die. He would be buried. Nothing, no one, would stand in the way of Jesus’ passion. There will be no one who could stop it.

    But Jesus didn’t rely on man. He was surely comforted by John’s presence at the cross. He loved his mother and commended her to John’s care. It’s likely that although the women were present also (and this is speculation), he would have been somewhat bolstered by their presence, even as he was sad that they had to see him in such a shameful condition. Above all that, however, Jesus entrusted himself to God, his heavenly Father.

    And look where it got him. But I am getting ahead of myself. We’ll get there. But for now, let’s hold to this truth: It is better to trust in God than any man, woman, political system, financial system, medical treatment, or social structure. These may all be good. But they hold no candle to God’s ability to help and power to save.

    Sometimes, however, we must wait to see the deliverance of God. Just as Jesus did on the cross, looking for God but being forsaken by him, suffering to the point of death. But never denying God. Never losing faith. Never taking his eye off the joy that was before him.

    Maybe today you’re looking for God’s redemption, help, blessing, or salvation. Perhaps you have looked for some time and yearned for the hand of God to be revealed for your good. It might not yet have come. And you might be tempted to find help, relief, hope, peace, or comfort elsewhere. Today we must remember, it it better to trust in God than in horses, kings, man, or woman. God alone saves. He has promised. He will do it.

  • Psalm 118:1-4, 29: What will you say?

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    David Bahn-Reflections Podcast


    Psalm 118:2-4

    Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
        for his steadfast love endures forever!

    2 Let Israel say,
        “His steadfast love endures forever.”
    3 Let the house of Aaron say,
        “His steadfast love endures forever.”
    4 Let those who fear the Lord say,
        “His steadfast love endures forever.”

    29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
        for his steadfast love endures forever!

    Austrian Briar Rose | Mercer Botanical Garden | March 2023

    On Palm Sunday people called out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” But not everyone. There were those who had other things to say. Upon seeing the spectacle, some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” (Luke 19:39-40) John records others saying, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” (John 12:19). Not everyone is happy and celebrating the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, much less into their lives.

    We are all called on to let others know what Jesus has done; whether it seems good to them or not. And you never can tell who will be happy or sad. You can never tell who will welcome Jesus or who will not. The most respectable people of Jesus’ day wanted nothing to do with him. They realized that he would turn their world upside down. They realized that their little fiefdoms would be shaken to their foundations. They knew they could no longer ignore the needy, refuse justice to the poor, or use their positions of power for their own benefit. No matter. The people on Palm Sunday called out in praise to God for their king who was coming in the name of the Lord.

  • Psalm 118: Holy Week & Easter in One Psalm

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    David Bahn-Reflections Podcast


    Psalm 118

    Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
        for his steadfast love endures forever!

    2 Let Israel say,
        “His steadfast love endures forever.”
    3 Let the house of Aaron say,
        “His steadfast love endures forever.”
    4 Let those who fear the Lord say,
        “His steadfast love endures forever.”

    5 Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
        the Lord answered me and set me free.
    6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
        What can man do to me?
    7 The Lord is on my side as my helper;
        I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

    8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
        than to trust in man.
    9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
        than to trust in princes.

    10 All nations surrounded me;
        in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
    11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
        in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
    12 They surrounded me like bees;
        they went out like a fire among thorns;
        in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
    13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,
        but the Lord helped me.

    14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
        he has become my salvation.
    15 Glad songs of salvation
        are in the tents of the righteous:
    “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,
    16     the right hand of the Lord exalts,
        the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”

    17 I shall not die, but I shall live,
        and recount the deeds of the Lord.
    18 The Lord has disciplined me severely,
        but he has not given me over to death.

    19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
        that I may enter through them
        and give thanks to the Lord.
    20 This is the gate of the Lord;
        the righteous shall enter through it.
    21 I thank you that you have answered me
        and have become my salvation.
    22 The stone that the builders rejected
        has become the cornerstone.[b]
    23 This is the Lord‘s doing;
        it is marvelous in our eyes.
    24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
        let us rejoice and be glad in it.

    25 Save us, we pray, O Lord!
        O Lord, we pray, give us success!

    26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
        We bless you from the house of the Lord.
    27 The Lord is God,
        and he has made his light to shine upon us.
    Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
        up to the horns of the altar!

    28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
        you are my God; I will extol you.
    29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
        for his steadfast love endures forever!

    Coral Rose | Mercer Botanical Garden | March 2023

    There is one true thing that I cling to in the midst of life’s turmoil and trouble. It is the goodness of God. His faithfulness, steadfast love, unwavering truth, and absolutely reliable trustworthiness sustain me in the raging flood. So as we begin this Holy Week, I am thankful for the message of this psalm, and the bookends of it:

    Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

    We’ll be staying with this Psalm for two weeks. There is so much here. And we begin with shouts of praise, honor, glory, and petition: Save us, O LORD, you who come in the Name of the LORD.

    Holy week begins with a triumphant procession of Jesus with his disciples entering Jerusalem. Coming down the road from the Mount of Olives crowds cheer him. Palm branches are cut from the trees, waved in the air, and laid on the road on which he is riding. “Hosanna!” cry the crowds. “Save us!” it means. “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna!” Right out of this psalm:

    Save us, we pray, O Lord!
    O Lord, we pray, give us success!

    26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
        We bless you from the house of the Lord.

    Two important things generate these cries. First of all, Jesus has come. He comes to us today in his word and in the Supper. He comes to us in brothers and sisters in Christ. He comes to us when two or three gather in his name. He will come to us again at the end of all time to receive us into his eternal mansions in heaven. Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the LORD for he brings grace and truth, perfectly balanced, held in right tension, beautifully intertwined in the life, teaching, suffering, death, resurrection and return of Jesus. We rejoice that he came to rescue and redeem us. We thank God that he sustains us each day with his abiding presence. We look forward to his Second Coming on the Great Last Day. Hosanna! Save us! Thanks be to God, he has.

    Which is the second reason we cry out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the LORD.” We need a Savior. We need someone who comes in the name of the LORD to save us. We have sinned. We are broken. We have broken faith. We have offended God. We have done wrong things. We have failed to do right things. We might want to compare ourselves to others and say we’re not that bad. But when we compare ourselves to the Gold Standard of morality, decency, and godliness, we see how far short we fall. Jesus (the Gold Standard) does not fall short.

    Try this: 1 Corinthians is the love chapter of the Bible. Paul so beautifully describes what love does not do and what it does.

    Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

    Now try this. Everywhere the word love is found in that passage, substitute your name. Does it work? All the time? Without exception? Perfectly? Does it work?

    Now try Jesus’ name. It works. Jesus is kind. He keeps no records of wrongs. He bears all things – including our sin. Endured all things – including the horrific suffering on the cross. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the LORD our God for his goodness, mercy, and steadfast love!

  • Psalm 121: Coming and Going

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    David Bahn-Reflections Podcast


    Psalm 121

    I lift up my eyes to the hills.
        From where does my help come?
    2 My help comes from the LORD,
        who made heaven and earth.

    3 He will not let your foot be moved;
        he who keeps you will not slumber.
    4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
        will neither slumber nor sleep.

    5 The LORD is your keeper;
        the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
    6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
        nor the moon by night.

    7 The LORD will keep you from all evil;
        he will keep your life.
    8 The LORD will keep
        your going out and your coming in
        from this time forth and forevermore.

    Pansy-Final | Mercer Botanical Garden | March 2023

    One of my favorite parts of the Baptism liturgy is a quote from this psalm. “May your going out and your coming in be blessed from this time forth and forevermore.” Consider the grand context of Israel hinted at in these words.

    For 1400 years Israel considered the Exodus to be the great salvific act to be of God for his people. When they thought of God’s salvation, they would look back over the years and remember how God brought the people of Israel out of Egypt. It was a miracle of his divine protection and a gift of his mercy and grace for his people. They were enslaved, forced to work in nearly unbearable conditions, subject to their taskmasters’ brutality. God saw this, heard their pleas for mercy and sent Moses to rescue them.

    Moses went to Egypt and told Pharaoh, “The LORD God says, ‘Let my people go.’” Only after 10 plagues did Pharaoh relent and allow the Children of Israel to leave. And then, changing his mind because he lost a vast army of slaves, he pursued them into the wilderness. When all seemed lost, God told Moses to stretch out his staff, and the sea was opened before them. They walked through on dry ground. Before Pharaoh’s pursuing army could catch the Israelites, they were drowned in the returning waters. It was a mighty miracle of God’s salvation for his people. It would take years, but they would eventually also make it into the Promised Land.

    The idea here is that God would bless his people’s going out from slavery in Egypt, and their coming in to the Promised Land. He had done this before. He would surely do it again. Whether from the Babylonian captivity to the Assyrian conquest, Israel would be saved, brought out of slavery and bondage into a restored freedom and prosperity.

    We also have a great salvation story. It centers in the cross of Jesus Christ. He died for the sins of the world. He kept faith. He obeyed perfectly. He sacrificed his life even for his enemies. We are now called out of darkness into his marvelous light. This psalm would point us to God’s part in this. He has done it. He protects us. He watches over us. He has saved us. We have been set free from sin and death. Satan no longer has power over us. God has brought us out from under his sway. We now enter into the light of his love. We are brought into the Body of Christ.

    There is another important dynamic of this coming and going for Jesus’ people. I often conflate the coming and going, when offering this blessing during baptism. I’m trying to convey the idea that we come into God’s house by his blessing, and leave to be a blessing to others. Jesus came to save. He sends us saved ones to save others. We don’t just come into the place of God’s grace. As long as we live we also go as his ambassadors to offer grace and truth to others – the same grace and truth we have received from God.

    May your coming in and your going out be blessed from this time forth and forevermore!

  • Psalm 121: Sun and Moon

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    David Bahn-Reflections Podcast


    Psalm 121

    I lift up my eyes to the hills.
        From where does my help come?
    2 My help comes from the LORD,
        who made heaven and earth.

    3 He will not let your foot be moved;
        he who keeps you will not slumber.
    4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
        will neither slumber nor sleep.

    5 The LORD is your keeper;
        the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
    6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
        nor the moon by night.

    7 The LORD will keep you from all evil;
        he will keep your life.
    8 The LORD will keep
        your going out and your coming in
        from this time forth and forevermore.

    Pansies-#2 | Mercer Botanical Garden | March 2023

    When I consider the dangers and threats from which God protects me, I seldom put the moon in the category of threats. Too much sun? Yes, danger in many ways. From skin cancer because of too much sun bathing, to sunstroke from the sun’s radiant heat, the sun can pose significant danger. But I don’t think that’s what these verses speak of:

    The sun shall not strike you by day,
        nor the moon by night.

    The answer lies in the preceding and following verses:

    5 The LORD is your keeper;
        the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

    7 The LORD will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.

    God promises to protect us from all dangers. Whether they come in the heat of the day or the cool of the night, God stands a ready watch over his people. Such is his promise.

    People will point out, however, that bad things happen to God’s people all the time. They are not exempt from trouble, danger, and even calamity. Recent tornadoes in Mississippi took the lives of Christians and atheists alike. Three children in a Nashville Christian school were murdered just this week. Floods, economic upheaval, theft, violence, and troubles of all kinds do not bypass God’s people. Jesus himself said, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33) And God, “causes his rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45) Jesus also said in that same verse that God, “makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good.”

    I have a favorite flippant answer when someone asks, “Why is this here?” My answer: “Inertia, gravity, and friction.” That’s true, but not the whole truth. The rest of the answer is that neither I nor anyone else took the time and effort to move it. The laws of physics apply, but so do the realities of human interface. If we don’t act the dirty dish, discarded sock, or misplaced chair won’t move itself.

    But in the case of the dirty dish or the intrusion of trouble, there is another side to the story. How many times have I put the dirty dish in the dishwasher? How many times have we avoided horrific troubles? How many times have catastrophes bypassed us? How many car accidents, thefts, and illnesses been kept far from us?

    This doesn’t negate the pain of worldly troubles. But it might do us good to recognize that God is constantly protecting us – even though sometimes he allows troubles into our lives. We are not called on to understand the reason for this. Sometimes God has a reason he reveals to us. Most often it remains a mystery. In any case, we are to turn to God when these bad things happen.

    One possible reason for God’s choice to allow suffering is powerfully displayed in a clip (below) from The Chosen. This powerful video streaming series depicts the interactions of Jesus with his disciples, the crowds, the Jewish leaders, and the Romans. The conversation between Jesus and Little James is imagined, but authentic in nature to what Jesus taught. God sometimes allows his people to suffer so that they may offer an even more powerful witness.

    But most often God protects us from the dangers that come by day or at night. We can lament the times trouble intrudes. God receives such prayers. The Psalms are full of them. But we must also thank God daily for his protection, provision, and presence. For that is the far greater and more common experience for most all of God’s people.

    Luther’s Morning & Evening Prayers beautifully expresses this:

    Luther’s Morning Prayer

    In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

    Luther’s Evening Prayer

    In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

  • Psalm 121: No Down Time

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    David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

    Psalm 121

    I lift up my eyes to the hills.
        From where does my help come?
    2 My help comes from the LORD,
        who made heaven and earth.

    3 He will not let your foot be moved;
        he who keeps you will not slumber.
    4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
        will neither slumber nor sleep.

    5 The LORD is your keeper;
        the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
    6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
        nor the moon by night.

    7 The LORD will keep you from all evil;
        he will keep your life.
    8 The LORD will keep
        your going out and your coming in
        from this time forth and forevermore.

    Pansies #1 | Mercer Botanical Garden | March 2023

    One of my not-so-secret pleasures is sneaking off to our front bedroom and taking a mid-afternoon nap. Sometimes I’m really tired. Sometimes I just want some down time. I’ll listen to a book, watch a YouTube video, or meditate and pray. It’s a privilege of being retired…and not having much pressure from Diane in the form of a “Honey-Do” list. Whether it’s a midday nap, a good night’s sleep, or some other form of rest, it is a necessary rhythm for those who wish to follow God’s laws and Jesus’ example. He would often go out alone to pray (resting by absenting himself from the constant demands on his time). And God commands that we remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy, including the command that we not work on that one day of the week.

    God himself rested after the work of creation.

    Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. – Genesis 2:1-3

    I’m wondering about this psalm in light of God’s resting on the seventh day of creation. Was that it for God? Did he get one day of rest and now he’s 24/7/365 caring for people, and on leap year, 24/7/366? Does God never get a break? According to this psalm, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep. He’s always watching over us. He is always on call. He’s always attentive to us. Why he needed to rest after creating the world, but no longer needs to, is a mystery to me.

    Beyond the mystery is the blessing of God’s constant care, protection, provision, and watchfulness. Jesus teaches us about God’s care for us and all of creation.

    Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. – Matthew 10:29-30

    God is watching over us without fail. He is aware of our every need, temptation, trouble, joy, challenge, and hope. This isn’t just a full-time job for him. It’s his heart’s calling, a work of love, and a product of his goodness.

    The one exception I can think of to his absolute care was 2000 years ago from 9:00 in the morning to 3:00 in the afternoon. That was the time his only Son was on the cross. It was then that God took his eye off Jesus. Jesus cried out, “My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?” He did that so that we could enjoy the eternal blessings of God’s glorious grace. There is no down time for his loving care for us and for all of creation.

  • Psalm 121: More than “good thoughts”

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    David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

    Psalm 121

    I lift up my eyes to the hills.
        From where does my help come?
    2 My help comes from the LORD,
        who made heaven and earth.

    3 He will not let your foot be moved;
        he who keeps you will not slumber.
    4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
        will neither slumber nor sleep.

    5 The LORD is your keeper;
        the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
    6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
        nor the moon by night.

    7 The LORD will keep you from all evil;
        he will keep your life.
    8 The LORD will keep
        your going out and your coming in
        from this time forth and forevermore.

    Sand dune Wallflower-#1 | Mercer Botanical Garden | March 2023

    One of the podcasts I occasionally listen to is hosted by an atheist. He’s not the in-your-face kind. He doesn’t make a point of it. But it’s clear that he has no space in his world view for any kind of god. He’s not even an agnostic as far as I can tell. He’ll talk about thinking good thoughts toward someone who’s having a difficult time. He’ll send out holiday cards to some of his patrons. But I don’t think he actually calls them “holiday” cards. After all, that would imply that there is something holy behind the celebration of the season or day.

    This psalm directs us to a very specific, well-identified, and named God: the LORD (יהוה‎). This is the name God revealed to Moses when he sent him to Egypt with the message to Pharaoh, “Let my people go.” The name may well be thought of as expressing the essential (existential?) reality of God’s existence. He is the One Who Is. His name is I AM that I AM. This is beyond René Descartes’ I think, therefore I am. There is no therefore necessary to God’s existence. He is. Self validating. Needing no one to acknowledge him. Needing to answer to no one. By his own assertion being. God is. The LORD is God.

    But there’s way more to this than God’s self-validating existence. For God did not have to do anything in order to be. He did not need to create heaven and earth. But he did. He did not need to care about our feet being held steadfast. He didn’t need to keep us, provide for our shade, or bless our going out and coming in. But he has promised to do that. What’s more, he doesn’t do all this anonymously. He has revealed himself to us by name. We can call on him by name.

    Perhaps you’ve had the experience of someone insinuating that he knows you by using your name in a familiar way. Whether unsolicited sales calls, or slick used car salesperson, it can be quite a turn-off. When you have and use someone’s name you are seeking to leverage a relationship in some manner or another.

    We dare not try that with God. Take a look at the account of the seven sons of Sceva (Acts 19:11-20). Or consider Jesus’ answer to those who claimed, “Lord, Lord! Did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name…” Jesus responds, “I never knew you.” (Matthew 17:21-23)

    Jesus promises, however, that when we call on God in his name, he hears us. A humble cry reaches the heart of God, and he delights to be known by us. Our help comes from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth, redeemer of lost and broken sinners, friend of repentant sinners, and keeper of our lives who has taken on human flesh. He is known as Jesus whom we confess as Lord. When we call on God in Jesus’ name we are not simply having good thoughts. We are connecting with the King of the Universe from whom help will surely come.

  • CORRECTED Psalm 121: Looking to God for Help and Hope

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    David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

    Psalm 121

    I lift up my eyes to the hills.
        From where does my help come?
    2 My help comes from the LORD,
        who made heaven and earth.

    3 He will not let your foot be moved;
        he who keeps you will not slumber.
    4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
        will neither slumber nor sleep.

    5 The LORD is your keeper;
        the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
    6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
        nor the moon by night.

    7 The LORD will keep you from all evil;
        he will keep your life.
    8 The LORD will keep
        your going out and your coming in
        from this time forth and forevermore.

    China Pink Dianthus-#3 | Mercer Botanical Garden | March 2023

    In the battle for Helm’s Keep in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Gandalf tells Aragorn and those who will face the vicious onslaught of the forces of evil, “On the third day, look to the east.” He is promising help will arrive. And sure enough, on the third day of a fierce battle, Gandalf comes to the aid of the embattled forces of good. It is a welcome sight to say the least. The tide turns. The enemies are defeated.

    Where do you look for help? When the bills can’t be paid. When the wife just doesn’t understand. When the husband won’t listen. When the boss says you’re laid off. When you know you need help but don’t know what you need or how to ask. The psalmist tells us that our help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

    Tonight our Life Group (a small group that meets in our home) was looking for a Bible passage that we could pray on a daily basis. We settled on Jeremiah 33:3, where God invites (commands) us, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” 

    We had no idea how appropriate this was until we learned that one of our group will be laid off in the very near future. We prayed that a door of which he now knows nothing about would be opened to him. How powerful to know that as we pray we can apply this verse specifically to our friend and brother in Christ!

    So where do we look for help? Government? Medical science? A nearby friend? An escape to the mountains? I lift my eyes to the hills. Yes. But my help comes from the LORD. He created the world and all that is in it. He has is eyes on you. He will watch over you. And he will not miss a beat.

    When trouble comes, God never says, “I didn’t see that coming!” There are no surprises in the courts of the heavenly realm. He has good plans for his people. Sometimes those plans are to help others in their time of need. Sometimes those plans are to strengthen our faith through trials and struggles. And sometimes his plans are to send help at an opportune time. In every case when we look to God for help, we are looking toward the right One.