And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces and also of the fish.
Mark 6:41-43
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces and also of the fish.
Mark 6:41-43
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Break Thou the Bread of Life
Mary Artemisia Lathbury (1841-1913)
Break Thou the bread of life, Dear Lord, to me,
as Thou didst break the loaves beside the sea;
beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord;
My spirit pants for Thee, O living Word!
Bless Thou the truth, dear Lord, to me, to me,
as Thou didst bless the bread by Galilee;
then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall;
and I shall find my peace, my all-in-all.
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Surely you have sung this song before the communion service in church. But it was really intended by the author to prepare the heart for Bible study. Mary Lathbury was sitting by Lake Chautauqua with her Bible and remembered the disciples at the Sea of Galilee and thought of these words. The great London preacher G. Campbell Morgan customarily read the words of the hymn before his midweek service.
Do you meet the living Word of God as you study the Bible and discover the character of God? Do you find yourself marveling at His miracles, awestruck at the mighty displays of His glory, and humbled by the never-ending, reckless love of God? He is as real as ever, my friends, and in control of this world as He ever was. From the story of creating the earth, to showing His power, might, and mercy to those who believed long ago, to the simple story of His desire for everyone to be saved from the penalty of their sins, to the soon and coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords in clouds of triumph...He Loves You. Learn to drink deeply from the well of refreshment that He offers you that is His Story in the Bible. Go beyond the sacred page and meet the Living Word. There is enough for everyone. He is Our Peace.
And read verse 42 again.
I'm pretty sure, like 100% positive, you are telling me I should be sitting at a lake reading my Bible. In fact, I should always be sitting at a lake. I've just now noticed that my growing love for the outdoors and nature has coincided with the renewed love for the Word over that last few years. No better way to spend time with God than in His creation, Amen?!
ReplyDeleteAMEN! #RenewedLove I love that!
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