Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Jesus took the five loaves and two fish,
looked up to heaven, and asked God's
blessing on the food. Breaking the loaves
into pieces, he kept giving the bread and
fish to the disciples to give to the people.
They all ate as much as they wanted,
and they picked up twelve baskets of
leftover bread and fish.
Mark 6:41-43 NLT

Break Thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
As though didst break the loaves beside the sea;
Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord;
My spirit pants for Thee, O Living Word!
Mary Artemisia Lathbury

Bread of Life

While Break Thou the Bread of Life is
often sung during Communion, it is really
intended to prepare the heart for Bible
study. The great London preacher G.
Campbell Morgan customarily read the
words of the hymn before his midweek
service.

The author, Mary Lathbury, was better
known as a commercial artist than as a
poet. Her illustrations regularly appeared
in the popular magazines of the 19th century.
She was a devout Christian who often
vacationed at Lake Chautauqua, where she
became one of the founders of a new
movement. Mixing Christian inspiration,
culture, and education, the Chautauqua
movement spread across the country.…
As she sat with her Bible, overlooking Lake
Chautauqua, she thought of the disciples at
the Sea of Galilee and wrote this hymn.
Mary Lathbury's desire was to take Bible
students "beyond the sacred page" to meet
the living Word.
From The One Year Book of Hymns
(Tyndale House), entry for February 15

Reflection:

I remember, as a young man, attending church
and the first Sunday of every month we
would celebrate communion.  This song
"Break Thou the Bread of Life" was quietly
sung as we participated in the Lord's Supper.
It was always very meaningful to me.  The words
and the spirit of this song brought me to a place
where I met, the living Word, Jesus Christ.
I must ask myself, as I ask you, When is the last
time I met the Living Word? When is the last time
my spirit "panted" for Jesus Christ? LORD LET IT
BE NOW!

Prayer:

Lord You are the bread of life, I yearn for You.
I am ready for You the Living Word, LET IT BE NOW!
In Jesus Name Amen.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is
useful to teach us what is true and to
make us realize what is wrong in our lives.
2 Timothy 3:16 NLT

The Word Transforms

Dr. E. V. Rieu was a classical scholar
and translator for many years. He rendered
Homer into very modern English for the Penguin
Classics. Rieu was 60 years old and a lifelong
agnostic when the same firm invited him to translate
the Gospels. His son remarked: "It will be interesting
to see what Father makes of the four Gospels. It will
be even more interesting to see what the four Gospels
make of Father."

The answer was soon forthcoming. A year later, Rieu,
convinced and converted, joined the Church of England.

In an interview with J. B. Phillips, Rieu confessed that
he had undertaken the task of translation because of
an "intense desire to satisfy himself as to the authenticity
and spiritual content of the Gospels." He was determined
to approach the documents as if they were newly discovered
Greek manuscripts. "Did you not get the feeling," asked
Canon Phillips, "that the whole material was extraordinarily
alive?" The classical scholar agreed. "I got the deepest feeling,
" he replied. "My work changed me. I came to the conclusion
that these words bear the seal of the Son of Man and God."

From J. B. Phillips, The Ring of Truth. quoted by R. Kent
Hughes in 1001Great Stories and Quotes (Tyndale House) pp 28-29

Remember This:

The B I B L E yes that's the book for me.
I stand alone on the Word of God. The
B I B L E.

AAAAAAAA MEN

Your principles have been the music of my
life throughout the years of my pilgrimage.
I reflect at night on who you are, O Lord,
and I obey your law because of this.
Psalm 119:54-55 NLT

The testimony of presidents

The Bible was clearly important to many
American presidents. A few examples:

It is impossible to govern the world
without God and the Bible.
George Washington

The whole inspiration of our civilization
springs from the teachings of Christ and
the lessons of the prophets. To read the
Bible for these fundamentals is a necessity
of American life. Herbert Hoover

In regard to this great book, I have but to
say, it is the best gift God has given to man.
All the good Savior gave to the world was
communicated through this book. But for it
we could not know right from wrong. All things
most desirable for man's welfare, here and
hereafter, are to found portrayed in it.
Abraham Lincoln

Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet-anchor of
your liberties; write its precepts in your hearts
and practice them in your lives. To the influence
of this book we are indebted for all the progress
made in true civilization, and to this we must
look as our guide in the future. Righteousness
exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any
people. Ulysses S. Grant

From Great Thoughts & Funny Sayings by Bob
Phillips (Tyndale House), pp 39-40