Deus Misereatur

“ Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD ” (Job 1.21). God all merciful and all wise, compassionate and caring. All our days are in your hands; you give us life, breath, love, and sustenance. We commend young Matthias Alexander Lynch into your caring embrace, and we commend his parents and siblings to your compassionate shalom . Though his days were few, we are grateful for the moments we had with him.   We loved seeing his big feet, the hair already growing on his head, and his fighting spirit. But, Lord, now you have him, and we believe that when Christ returns to raise all – some to the resurrection of everlasting life, and others to the resurrection of judgment (John 5.29), we trust to see him again, laughing, smiling, singing and running! Until then, keep count of our tossings, collect our tears in your bottle and log them in your book (Psalm 56.8): all for your love’s s...

Longitude by Dava Sobel My rating: 5 of 5 stars It was a pleasant gift out of the blue. But someone thought enough of me that when they saw a copy at the half-price bookstore, they snagged it and bequeathed it to me. And what a delightful read it was. Who would have thought that watches, discovering a sure means of finding longitude, and human drama could be so informative and fun?!?! But this little volume is all of those things, and more. The vast majority of the true tale treads water in 18th Century Europe, primarily France and England. There are a few pages with background history and after-action reporting, but the weight of the book dwells in those scientifically pregnant years in the early to mid 1700s, when much was gestating and being delivered. This tiny manuscript focuses on John Harrison, and his newfangled contraptions for finding longitude on-board ship. But other discoveries were being made around the same goal, and the author gives them their due. Dava Sobel, a form...

LORD God, to whom even the darkness is not dark; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. Who formed our inward parts; knitted us together in our mother's womb. We praise you, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; our soul knows it very well (Psalm 139.12-14). We remember those of our children and grandchildren who are still being formed by your skillful hands in their mother’s wombs… Smile on their gestation, and may they each come forth always trusting in you and your goodness. But we also remember before you those who never saw the light of day, as well as those who quickly passed away…Thank you for the little moment their mamas and daddies had with them. Thank you for the brief kick or movement in their mother’s womb. We believe your Son when he said the kingdom of heaven is heavily populated with brephas , with pre-born and new born children. Give soothing stillness and healthful wholeness to their mothers and fathe...

You declared through Isaiah that you are the LORD, and there is no other, besides you there is no God; you equip people, even those who do not know you, so that folks may know from one horizon to the other that you are the LORD. You form light and create darkness; you make well-being and create calamity; you are the LORD, who does all these things (Isaiah 45.5-7). It’s to you we pray: Back when we were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures (Titus 3.3) you saved us according to your own mercy; in like manner, please save those who trust in their own strength, those who walk in their own darkness, those who are hostile and alienated from others and hostile and alienated from you… As you have been our healer and helper in days past; therefore, please restore and raise up those dealing with depression, dementia, disease, debilitation, and distress… You have taken care of our needs and provided for us in ordinary and extraordinary ways; pl...

("To the Unknown Land," Edmund Blair Leighton) It hit me this morning (for varied and personal reasons). This prayer came about as a result, and I will be leading our church in this prayer this Sunday evening. I hope you might find it beneficial. LORD God, to whom even the darkness is not dark; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. Who formed our inward parts; knitted us together in our mother's womb. We praise you, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; our soul knows it very well (Psalm 139.12-14). We remember those of our children and grandchildren who are still being formed by your skillful hands in their mother’s wombs… Smile on their gestation, and may they each come forth always trusting in you and your goodness. But we also remember before you those who never saw the light of day, as well as those who quickly passed away…Thank you for the little moment their mamas and daddies had with them. Tha...

All-knowing God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God; you have taught us in Proverbs that if we seek wisdom like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then we will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For you give wisdom; from your mouth come knowledge and understanding; you store up sound wisdom for the upright; you are a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of your saints. (Proverbs 2.4-8). In this regard we pray for, and with, these who are seeking wisdom: For those making career decisions; we pray that you would guide them to places and circumstances that will be truly good for them, personally, professionally, parentally and with regard to piety. For those who are retired and moving deeper into their senior years; we pray that you would show them how their experiences and abilities may be well used to make disciples, build-up families, and aid y...

Gospel Treason: Betraying the Gospel with Hidden Idols by Brad Bigney My rating: 5 of 5 stars Not another book on marriage?!?! Yep, another book on marriage. This one is penned by Brad Bigney, senior pastor of Grace Fellowship Evangelical Free Church in Florence, Kentucky, a member and certified counselor of the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors and a member of the Association of Biblical Counselors. But it's more than just a book on marriage. This popularly written, 224 page softback is about why there are problems in marriages, how to decipher the idolatrous root of those troubles, and ways to move forward with a healthier marriage. The not-yet-married, newlyweds, older married couples, pastors, and counselors will all benefit from this work. Since there are plenty of other reviews already hovering out there, I'll simply mention a few of the aspects I appreciated. Bigney does a heartening job on unpacking conflict: "The conflict that we often resent is G...