Just Pondering
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Rick Branan |
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 (CSBBible)
Mary Ann Lathbury was born in Manchester, Ontario County, New York, Aug. 10, 1841. Miss Lathbury writes somewhat extensively for the American religious periodical press, and is well and favourably known (see the Century Magazine, Jan., 1885, p. 342). Of her hymns which have come into common use we have:—
1. Break Thou the bread of life. Communion with God. A "Study Song" for the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, written in the summer of 1880. It is in Horder's (Eng.) Congregational Hymns, 1884.
2. Day is dying in the west. Evening. "Written at the request of the Rev. John H. Vincent, D.D., in the summer of 1880. It was a "Vesper Song," and has been frequently used in the responsive services of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle." It is in the Laudes Domini, N. Y., 1884.
For these details we are indebted to S. W. Duffield's English Hymns, &c, N. Y., 1886.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Break Thou the Bread of Life
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.
Thou art the bread of life, O Lord, to me,
Thy holy Word the truth that saveth me;
Give me to eat and live with Thee above;
Teach me to love Thy truth, for Thou art love.
Oh, send Thy Spirit, Lord, now unto me,
That He may touch my eyes, and make me see:
Show me the truth concealed within Thy Word,
And in Thy Book revealed I see the Lord.
Written by Mary A. Lathbury
John opens his gospel with descriptions of Jesus that are different than the other three gospels. He does not mention Chrit’s birth, rather, he describes Him as the Living Word, the Life, and the Light. Jesus makes those same claims in a series of “I am” statements. The opening paragraph climaxes with our passage, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesus, the Son of God, the Creator, the Light of the world, chose to become flesh. Paul says “He humbled Himself.” The Greek for “word” is “logos” which means the “embodiment of an idea or thought.” Jesus is the “logos” or the idea. He was before the beginning and will be after the end. John also says that by becoming the Word, those that believe in Him will be God’s children. That is you and me as true believers.
In her hymn, Mary Lathbury, uses Jesus’ “I am the Bread of Life” statement from John 6:35 to build her hymn. She uses several examples of Christ’s ministry to equate the Word to the bread that ceases hunger better than manna from heaven. Each of her stanzas ends with a desire to know the Word better, “I pant for Thee,” “I find peace,” “teach me,” and “I see the Lord.” As we study God’s Word, may we embrace the Bible with the same desires.
The only way to heaven is through Jesus. Christ tells us in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Do you know the Word?
Just pondering . . . Bro. Rick