Category Archives: Knowing God

May 27, 2022 · 11:39 AM

The Christmas Spirit

Do you remember the generosity of Jesus Christ, the Lord of us all? He was rich beyond our telling, yet he became poor for your sakes so that his poverty might make you rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9 Phillips)

J. I. Packer’s 1973 book Knowing God has been formative for many, many people in their understanding of what the Bible teaches about God. In chapter five of the book, “God Incarnate,” Packer gives a thorough study of the meaning and implications of our Lord Jesus Christ – God the Son – becoming a human being. Packer’s thoughts, along with the stanzas of the Gospel hymn “Thou Who Wast Rich” by Frank Houghton, give us much to meditate on as we ponder the miracle and wonder of God’s grace in Jesus that we celebrate at Christmastime, and the impact it should have on us all year long.

Packer writes, “The key text in the New Testament for interpreting the incarnation is . . . 2 Corinthians 8:9: ‘Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich.’ Here is stated, not the fact of the incarnation only, but also its meaning; the taking of manhood by the Son is set before us in a way which shows us how we should set it before ourselves and ever view it – not simply as a marvel of nature, but rather as a wonder of grace.”[1]

Thou who wast rich beyond all splendor, all for love’s sake becamest poor;
Thrones for a manger didst surrender, sapphire paved courts for stable floor.
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendor, all for love’s sake becamest poor.

Packer continues, “How are we to think of the incarnation? The New Testament does not encourage us to puzzle our heads over the physical and psychological problems that it raises, but to worship God for the love that was shown in it. For it was a great act of condescension and self-humbling. ‘He, Who had always been God by nature,’ writes Paul, ‘did not cling to His prerogatives as God’s equal but stripped Himself of all privilege by consenting to be a slave by nature and being born as a mortal man. And, having become man, He humbled Himself by living a life of utter obedience, even to the extent of dying, and the death he died was the death of a common criminal’ (Philippians 2:6 ff., Phillips). And all this was for our salvation.[2]

Thou who art God beyond all praising, all for love’s sake becamest man;
Stooping so low, but sinners raising, heaven-ward by Thine eternal plan.
Thou who art God beyond all praising, all for love’s sake becamest man.

Packer concludes, “We talk glibly of the ‘Christmas spirit,’ rarely meaning more by this than sentimental jollity . . . But . . . the phrase should in fact carry a tremendous weight of meaning. It ought to mean the reproducing in human lives of the temper of Him who for our sakes became poor at the first Christmas. And the Christmas spirit itself ought to be the mark of every Christian all the year round . . . The Christmas spirit is the spirit of those who, like their Master, live their whole lives on the principle of making themselves poor – spending and being spent – to enrich their fellow men; giving time, trouble, care, and concern, to do good to others – and not just their own friends – in whatever way there seems need.[3]

Thou who art love beyond all telling, Savior and King, we worship Thee.
Emmanuel, within us dwelling, make us what Thou wouldst have us be.
Thou who art love beyond all telling, Savior and King, we worship Thee.

Follow this link to enjoy Steve Green’s lovely and worshipful rendition of this hymn.

[1] J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), p. 51.

[2] J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), pp. 50-51.

[3] J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), pp. 55-56.

Leave a comment

Filed under Christmas, Incarnation of Christ, Knowing God, Praise

Tagged as , ,

November 23, 2021 · 7:57 PM

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT: Pondering the Incomprehensible

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent[1]

The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35 NKJV)

The doctrine of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ is foundational to Christianity. Jesus Christ, God the Son, became a human being, going through the normal process of nine months in a woman’s womb.  After He was “conceived by the Holy Spirit,” He was “born of the virgin Mary,” as the Apostle’s Creed puts it. A hymn from the first century describes it this way:

Though he was in the form of God, [he] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:6-7 ESV)

What must have the reaction of the hosts of heaven been in the moment that the young woman Mary was impregnated with God the Son by the Holy Spirit? What do we think today when we ponder the wondrous mystery of God in flesh? It is impossible to understand that which is beyond understanding – Almighty God taking on a human body – but how do we respond to such a great and incomprehensible truth?  Scripture offers counsel here.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. (Psalm 62:5 ESV)
Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10 ESV)

Silence. Stillness. Worship. Good and appropriate responses as we ponder the incarnation.  Gerard Moultrie used words from the fifth century Liturgy of St. James to craft a hymn that calls us – and all “mortal flesh” – to worship as we ponder the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand;\
Ponder nothing earthly minded, for with blessing in his hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.

The apostle Paul wrote that “. . . being found in human form, he [Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8 ESV).  Jesus took on human flesh for the purpose of giving his body as a sin offering on our behalf. As God provided manna from heaven for the wandering Old Testament Israelites, so the sacrifice of Christ’s body on the cross provides the heavenly “food” of forgiveness of sins and salvation by grace through faith in Jesus.

King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture, in the body and the blood,
He will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.

“I am the light of the world,” Jesus said. “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12 ESV).  He who was the Creator and the essence of light and life came to show us the way out of the darkness of sin. The psalmist knew this to be true: “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light” (Psalm 36:9 ESV)

Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads it vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.

Heaven was filled with the praises of God before Jesus was born on earth, “. . . when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7 ESV). He enjoys such praise today as our glorified King and Lord. It should then be our joy to join the heavenly chorus in praising and giving thanks to God for Jesus.

At his feet, the six-winged seraph; cherubim, with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry,
“Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, Lord Most High!”

Follow this link to enjoy Fernando Ortega’s recording of this hymn. A beautiful choral and congregational rendition can be enjoyed by following this link.

[1] Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. Words from the Liturgy of St. James, 5th century. Adapted by Gerard Moultrie, 1864. Set to the tune PICARDY (French melody, 17th century), arranged by Ralph Vaughn Williams, 1906 in TRINITY HYMNAL. Suwanee, Georgia: Great Commission Publications, 2006, #193. https://youtu.be/DVJ4tlC0q_g

Leave a comment

Filed under Advent, Hymn devotional, Incarnation of Christ, Knowing God, Worship

Tagged as , , ,

November 9, 2021 · 2:48 PM

His Kingdom Comes

A Mighty Fortress is Our God[1]

“The kingdom of God is the supreme and sovereign rule and reign of God over all.”[2] (Burk Parsons)

In giving us the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray that God the Father’s kingdom would come, and his will would be done, “on earth as it is in heaven.”  There are times when our circumstances and emotions lead us to think and feel that God is truly in control of everything around us. Then there are other times – times when chaos is all around us – when we wonder where God is now.

Martin Luther was a priest and teacher in the Catholic church who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He struggled intensely in his relationship with God. His mind and emotions were often painfully stirred with doubts and fears about whether he was truly God’s child – whether his life was pleasing to God – whether he was genuinely loved and accepted by God. His fears were assuaged when he came to understand the truth of justification by faith – that our relationship with God is based on trusting the death of Christ for us on the cross, and not trying to please God by our actions. While studying Paul’s letter to the Romans, he was drawn to Romans 1:17: “The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (NKJV). The apostle Paul expanded on this truth in Romans 5:1: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (NKJV). He added further in Galatians 2:16 that “. . . we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (NKJV).

Because God is the supreme and sovereign ruler over all, and because Jesus died on the cross to bring us into a relationship with God, we can live with confidence, no matter the chaotic condition of the world or the fierce struggles we face in our own hearts and minds. It may not appear that God’s kingdom is coming “on earth as it is in heaven,” but God is at work no matter what is going on around us – as Martin Luther learned and expressed in his great hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God.

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe does seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

God is a defense that never fails. No matter the obstacles we face, our God who is with us prevails. Still, we dare not let our guard down because our “ancient foe” never lets up seeking to “work us woe.” Satan’s power and evil intent cannot be matched by human effort, so we dare not ever trust our ability to overcome him.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing.
You ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name, from age to age the same;
And he must win the battle.

The “right Man” is our Lord Jesus Christ, the “. . . image of the invisible God,” the Creator of “. . . all things in heaven and on earth,” the One in whom “. . . all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15-17 NRSV). It is through Him that we are “. . . made strong with all the strength that comes from His glorious power” (Colossians 1:11 NRSV). Therefore, we have no need to fear whatever our “ancient foe” sends our way.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.

God’s truth will triumph “through us.” God does not promise to keep us from the onslaughts of sin in this world, but He does promise to go with us through them. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff – they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 NRSV). And we are given the means to fight our spiritual battles – specifically God’s Word and God’s Spirit.

That Word above all earthly powers no thanks to them abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God truth abideth still;
His Kingdom is forever!

Burk Parsons writes, “In His first coming [Jesus] established and inaugurated God’s kingdom . . . through the Holy Spirit, He is now expanding and increasing God’s kingdom . . . one day, He will return to judge all people. When He does return, He will bring the full and final consummation of God’s kingdom; established the new heaven and new earth; conquer all His and our enemies; save all who are true Israel and united to Him by faith; dry every tear from our eyes; and fully and finally eradicate sin and death.”[3]

What a glorious day that will be! Even so, Lord Jesus come!

[1] TEXT: Martin Luther (1529); translated by Frederick H. Hedge (1852). TUNE: EIN FESTE BURG

[2] Dr. Burk Parsons, TABLETALK, November 2021, p. 2.

[3] Dr. Burk Parsons, TABLETALK, November 2021, p. 2.

Leave a comment

Filed under Daily Living, Hope, Hymn devotional, Knowing God, Power of God, Praise

Tagged as , , , ,

October 19, 2021 · 10:47 PM

Security for Life

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. (Matthew 7:24-25 ESV)

A building is only as sturdy as its foundation. The same can be said for a life.

Those who design buildings give careful attention to the foundation required for any project they undertake. They study the ground on which the building will be built, and meticulously plan for the composition of materials needed to lay an adequate foundation that will make the building stable and secure. There will be stresses exerted on the building that can only be withstood with a proper foundation.

This is also true of a human life. We can only withstand the stresses we endure when the foundation we are building our life on is designed and built with the right materials. A building’s foundation is constructed using brick and mortar and steel and cement to fashion a foundation that will support thousands of tons of weight. A life, on the other hand, is built with choices, values, and beliefs that are made and embraced from a person’s earliest years. And what material is used in making and embracing those choices, values, and beliefs? Jesus told us in Matthew 7, and the writer of the hymn “How Firm a Foundation” made it clear as well.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Jesus said, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24 ESV). All the material needed to build a strong and vibrant life is found in the Word of God. But just like a builder must put his knowledge of construction into action, so a person must put his knowledge of God’s Word into action. It is not enough just to know. As James writes, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only . . .” (James 1:22 ESV). When we put what we know from God’s Word into practice, we can then be assured of God’s strength in our daily lives.

“Fear not; I am with thee. O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid.
I will strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.”

A proper foundation gives a building the strength to bear the weight of all that is built on top of it. We, too, have internal stresses – “deep waters” as the hymn writer puts it – sorrows, trials, and distresses – that we must bear, and for which we need the solid foundation of God’s infallible Word.

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trials to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.”

In Matthew 7, Jesus talked about a house facing rain and floods and wind. Buildings are built to withstand pressures in the atmosphere and from the shifting of the ground. So, it is in our daily living. Forces come to bear on us that would cause us to crumble were it not for the “grace all-sufficient” that is our foundation.

“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace all-sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flames shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.”

My friend Bruce Van Patter, in his column 8:18, wrote recently about finding an old church building that had been built in the mid-1800s.  While no longer in use, it is still standing, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. When we see a building that has stood the “test of time,” we know that it was built well. When we see a person in their later years whose life has been lived well, we know that such a person has known the “sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love” of the God whose Word they have lived by.

“Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when silver hair shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.”

Jesus said that the house of the wise man felt the brunt of rain and floods and wind. They “. . . beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock” (Matthew 7:25 ESV). You and I at times feel like “all hell” has been unleashed upon us, but our confidence need not be shaken. If we have built the foundation of our lives on knowing God and His Word, and obeying God and His Word, then we have his promise that He will “never, no, never, no, never forsake” us.

“The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I will not desert to his foes.
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no never forsake.”

Follow this link to a recording of “How Firm a Foundation” that you can sing along with.

=========================================

To subscribe and receive A SONG TO THE LORD in your email, just follow this link: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community. A SONG TO THE LORD is just one of the audio resources that are available free at the website of The Fellowship of Ailbe – www.ailbe.org. There you will find printed, audio, and video resources for individual and group study available free of charge.

T. M. Moore, the Principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, and Rusty Rabon host THE AILBE PODCAST which you can find on The Fellowship of Ailbe website here.

Rusty Rabon also hosts a Zoom book reading program called READING GREAT BOOKS five nights each week (Thursdays through Mondays). The Zoom link and current book information are available here on The Fellowship of Ailbe website. And if you are interested in other devotional writings by Rusty Rabon, click here  You can follow Rusty Rabon at www.rustyrabon.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rusty.raabon.9/, and on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/RustyRabon.

Join the Ailbe Community!

As a member of The Fellowship of Ailbe Community you join a movement of men working for revival, renewal, and awakening, built upon prayer, sharing, and mutual edification. The Ailbe Community is devoted to practicing the Kingship of Jesus in every area of our lives. Go to ailbe.org to learn more.

Leave a comment

Filed under Daily Living, Hope, Humility, Knowing God, Spiritual Growth

October 12, 2021 · 12:22 PM

Delighting in the Greatness of God

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness . . . (1 Chronicles 16:29 ESV)

In his book “Providence,” John Piper tackles the question of why it is good that God desires to receive praise from his creation, while the same desire in human beings would be considered egotistical.

He first answers the question qualitatively. He writes that God’s “. . . glory is of infinite value. It is infinitely beautiful. Therefore, God, in all his glory, will prove to be more satisfying than anything or anyone else.”[1] Then to illustrate, Piper tells how C. S. Lewis discovered that “. . . all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise . . . we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.”[2]  So, the call to “ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name” (1 Chronicles 16:29) is a call to enjoy the perfections of God and to freely express that enjoyment.

Walter Chalmers Smith has given us a beautiful means of expressing our enjoyment and praise of God with his hymn Immortal, Invisible. This hymn guides us to particularly praise God for four attributes which belong to God alone – or as the theologians describe them, God’s incommunicable attributes. First is God’s attribute of being eternal.

Immortal, invisible, God only wise;
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes;
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days;
Almighty, victorious – Thy great name we praise.

“God has no beginning or end and is in no way bound by time, although he sees events and acts in his world in time . . . Those who trust the God of eternity can know peace, rest, and comfort in the busyness of life and despite impending death, for God keeps them in safety and joy forever.”[3]  Therefore, the psalmist writes:

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:2 ESV)

The second stanza of Smith’s hymn speaks of God as being independent.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light;
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might.
Thy justice, like mountains high soaring above;
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

“God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of creation can glorify him and bring him joy. God never experiences need, so serving God should never be motivated by the thought that he needs us. He is the provider in everything.”[4] As the apostle Paul noted when addressing the people of Athens:

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. (Acts 17:24-25 ESV)

Paul’s words lead us to the third stanza of the hymn, which gives praise to God as the unchangeable giver of life to all.

To all, life Thou givest – to both great and small.
In all life, Thou livest – the true Life of all.
Thy wisdom so boundless, Thy mercy so free;
Eternal Thy goodness, for naught changeth Thee.

God is immutable. “He is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises . . . God can always be trusted because he always keeps his word and is never capricious or moody.”[5]  He says through the prophet Malachi:

For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6 ESV)

And this eternal, independent, and immutable God is omnipresent. He is everywhere at once, receiving the adoration of angelic beings and the praise of his people on earth, which is celebrated in the hymn’s final stanza.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight.
All praise we would render – O help us to see
‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.

“God is present everywhere with his whole being. God can be sought anywhere regardless of place. Believers should never feel lonely, and the wicked should never feel safe.”[6] As God says through Jeremiah:

Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him, declares the LORD? Do I not fill heaven and earth? (Jeremiah 23:23-24 ESV)

Immortal. Invisible. Eternal. Independent. Immutable. Omnipresent. Just. Good. Loving. The Essence and Giver of life. The list could go on and on. Hymns like this one from Walter Chalmers Smith, and the words that fill holy Scripture, keep us mindful of how God’s glory is of infinite value and beauty. May our enjoyment of the beauties of God lead us to daily – moment by moment – “ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.”

=========================================

To subscribe and receive A SONG TO THE LORD in your email, just follow this link: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community. A SONG TO THE LORD is just one of several audio resources that are available free at the website of The Fellowship of Ailbe – www.ailbe.org. There you will find many printed, audio, and video resources for individual and group study available free of charge.

T. M. Moore, the Principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, and Rusty Rabon host THE AILBE PODCAST which you can find on The Fellowship of Ailbe website here.

Rusty Rabon also hosts a Zoom book reading program called READING GREAT BOOKS five nights each week (Thursdays through Mondays). The Zoom link and current book information are available here on The Fellowship of Ailbe website. And if you are interested in other devotional writings by Rusty Rabon, click here  You can follow Rusty Rabon at www.rustyrabon.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rusty.raabon.9/, and on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/RustyRabon.

Join the Ailbe Community!

As a member of The Fellowship of Ailbe Community you join a movement of men working for revival, renewal, and awakening, built upon prayer, sharing, and mutual edification. The Ailbe Community is devoted to practicing the Kingship of Jesus in every area of our lives. Go to ailbe.org to learn more.

[1] Piper, John. Providence. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Publishers, 2020, p. 53.
[2] Piper, Ibid., p. 54.
[3] ESV Study Bible
[4] ESV Study Bible
[5] ESV Study Bible
[6] ESV Study Bible

Leave a comment

Filed under Daily Living, Hymn devotional, Knowing God, Praise, Worship

Tagged as , , , , , ,

September 21, 2021 · 6:52 PM

Food for Life

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4 NKJV)

In chapter 6 of the Gospel of John we find the account of Jesus feeding over five thousand people.  John records how this miracle impacted the twelve: “Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world’” (John 6:14 NKJV).  John says that Jesus then went away by himself because the people wanted to “. . . come and take Him by force to make Him king” (John 6:15 NKJV).  John then adds an application to this event later in chapter 6.  Sometime later that evening, Jesus and the apostles went across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum.  The next morning, people who had been in the crowd got into boats to find Jesus.  When they found Him, He gave this critique of their motives: “You seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you . . .” (John 6:26-27 NKJV).  Jesus was saying that the people were guilty of seeking the “blessing” more than the “Blesser.”  They wanted to find Jesus not because the miracle had opened their eyes to who He was, but because they were pleased with the benefit that being with Him brought to them.

We are often guilty of the same thing.  Our prayers are often filled with lists of things we desire rather than with words of praise for our Sovereign King or words of conversation with our Faithful Friend.  Instead of allowing the Bible to be the “Gospel food” that whets our appetite for more time in God’s presence, we are satisfied to find an answer to a question or a boost for our emotions.  As John quoted Jesus, we are looking just to be filled but not seeking the One who alone can fully fill forever.

This is the point that Mary Lathbury made in her Gospel hymn, 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.

Jesus, the Living Word – the Bread of Life – makes Himself known to us and feeds our souls through the written word – the Bible.  But knowing Bible facts or truths alone is not what we need.  I heard someone pray recently that the Lord would deliver us from “dead orthodoxy – being right in the head but wrong in the heart.”  We can have a lot of Bible knowledge without that knowledge leading us to the Source.  The written word was given so that we might know and love the Living Word.

Break Thou the bread of life, O Lord, to me, that hid within my heart Thy Word may be.
Mold Thou each inward thought, from self set free, and let my steps be all controlled by Thee.

This is the point that is made in Psalm 119: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11 NKJV).  The purpose of the written word is that we hear from the Spirit of the Living Word and open ourselves up to being changed from the inside out.

Open Thy Word of Truth that I may see Thy message written clear and plain for me.
Then in sweet fellowship, walking with Thee, Thine image on my life engraved will be.

This is also the point that the apostle Paul made when writing to the Corinthians.  God is not interested in us just knowing about Him, but in our transformation as we spend time with Him. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV).

O 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.

May the Spirit of God do such a work in us that we will “. . . pant for Thee, O Living Word;” that all our steps will be “. . . controlled by Thee;” that His “image on [our lives] engraved will be;” and that in Him we will truly find our “. . . peace, [our] all in all.”

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.

=============================

To subscribe and receive A SONG TO THE LORD in your email, just follow this link: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community. A SONG TO THE LORD is just one of several audio resources that are available free at the website of The Fellowship of Ailbe – www.ailbe.org.  There you will find many printed, audio, and video resources for individual and group study available free of charge.

T. M. Moore, the Principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, and Rusty Rabon host THE AILBE PODCAST which you can find on The Fellowship of Ailbe website here.

Rusty Rabon also hosts a Zoom book reading program called READING GREAT BOOKS five nights each week (Thursdays through Mondays).  The Zoom link and current book information are available here on The Fellowship of Ailbe website.  And if you are interested in other devotional writings by Rusty Rabon, click here  You can follow Rusty Rabon at www.rustyrabon.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rusty.raabon.9/, and on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/RustyRabon.

Join the Ailbe Community!
As a member of The Fellowship of Ailbe Community you join a movement of men working for revival, renewal, and awakening, built upon prayer, sharing, and mutual edification. The Ailbe Community is devoted to practicing the Kingship of Jesus in every area of our lives. Go to ailbe.org to learn more.

Leave a comment

Filed under Daily Living, Hymn devotional, Knowing God, Praise, Spiritual Growth

Tagged as , ,