The heat of summer is upon us here at the headquarters of Reformed Believers Publishing, which means that a vacation is just around the corner for many of our readers. Keep Sword and Shield in mind as you pack your bags, and remember that the magazine makes for excellent beach reading. Speaking of excellent beach reading, if you will pardon a brief anecdote…

Last summer the first issues of Sword and Shield came off the press. One of the foolish thoughts that passes through an editor’s mind is to wonder whether anyone is reading the magazine. It had become apparent that more than a few were burning it or binning it, but was anyone actually reading it? On a family vacation by Lake Michigan, someone from the family exclaimed, “I just saw someone reading Sword and Shield !” Well, if random people were reading Sword and Shield on the beach, then I guess that answered my question. It is one of my favorite memories of the very early days of Sword and Shield. I like to think that our little magazine will grace a few beaches and campgrounds and hotel lobbies and airports again this summer.

In other news, and in all seriousness, in his sovereign good pleasure, the Lord laid a serious illness on one of our editors, Rev. Nathan Langerak. Rev. Langerak was instrumental in the founding of Reformed Believers Publishing, and he has been a steady workhorse for Sword and Shield ever since. The absence in this issue of his “Understanding the Times” and his “Finally, Brethren, Farewell” seems strange, since Rev. Langerak has unfailingly produced his rubrics month after month. The reader will notice, however, that the meditation this month is still by Rev. Langerak. It is a measure of his devotion to the work that, while lying in the intensive care unit with his heart in seriously bad shape, Rev. Langerak dutifully and I’m sure joyfully typed out his meditation and submitted it on time. I imagine that someone had to wrestle the laptop out of his hands so that he could get some rest, or we would have had his other articles as well. We commit you to the care of our Lord in your convalescence, Rev. Langerak, and may the Lord speed you back to health according to his will.

And, dear readers, may God speed the truths written herein to your heart and the next issue into your hands.