Deus Misereatur

  Decades ago, a Christian artist penned a delightful song reflecting on Jesus’ boyhood. The artist was Rich Mullins, and in that song lie these words: “And did they tell You stories 'bout the saints of old? Stories about their faith? They say stories like that make a boy grow bold. Stories like that make a man walk straight” (Rich Mullins, “Boy Like Me/Man Like You”). Those song lyrics resonate in my head on occasion, especially when diving into church history. And those words sang out as I read a new 176-page paperback, “Redemption: The Church in Ancient Times” written for kids from 12 and up. It’s a retelling of stories ‘bout the saints of old, stories about their faith. Stories that make a boy grow bold. Stories that make a man walk straight! And Luke H. Davis, who teaches ethics and church history at Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis, and has authored several fiction and nonfiction works, has made these stories enjoyable, memorable, and personable.   Davis takes on

  O our Father in heaven, we come near to you with all holy reverence and confidence, as children drawing close to a father who is able and ready to help us. May your name be hallowed  by us and all others so that we may glorify you in every way that you make yourself known. May your name be hallowed in our vocations, in our families, in our relationships, and in our civil engagements. Arrange all things, even all of our conduct, hardships, desires, marriages, singleness, occupations, governmental and civil events of this world and our country – to your own glory. Arrange the unfolding of the conflict in Ukraine to your own glory. Arrange the world response to that conflagration to your own glory. Hallowed be Thy name. O Lord, hear our prayer. May your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven . We implore you to destroy Satan’s kingdom, here and worldwide, and advance your kingdom of grace. May we all be brought into your kingdom of grace and firmly kept in it, a

  O LORD, our Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: you are the LORD our God, who teaches us to profit, who leads us in the way we should go (Isaiah 48:17); to you we pray. You who have called your people; you who are the first and the last, the beginning and the end (Isaiah 48:12); we pray for your universal Church and these churches in the larger OKC area: First Indian Baptist Church, Followers of Christ Baptist, Friendship Baptist, and Galilee Baptist . May we press on to know you, and may you come to us as the dawn, as the showers and spring rains that water the earth. Help us to sow righteousness, to reap steadfast love, to break up our fallow ground, to seek you so that you will come and rain righteousness on us. And by your restraining hand and truth-guiding Spirit, may we not plow iniquity, reap injustice, or eat the fruit of lies by trusting in our own way, in the multitude of our own strength (Hosea 6:3; 10:12-13). For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and