the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
John Gossner's Treasury
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. John 6:47-51. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. Isaiah 41:18. The river of God is full of water. Psalms 65:9.
There is no doubt that the Lord’s Supper is the means most rich in blessing to make us ever partakers of Him, and to sustain our intimate fellowship with Him, so that He abides in us, and we in Him (John 6:56). But who doubts that outside of the Holy Supper, the soul may have Jesus just as near, and by faith and ardent love may be just as much a partaker of Him, since He is willing, at every moment gladly to impart Himself to every hungry and longing soul? Also outside of the Sacrament He is at all times the Bread of Life which nourishes the eternal life of the soul and is indispensable in order that our spiritual life may be preserved, strengthened, and developed. A sound and healthy person must daily have something to eat; he cannot be without daily bread. He to whom Jesus is not just as indispensable as daily bread, as daily food and drink, does certainly not live in Christ, as He Himself has said (John 6:56). Without the food of the Lord, there is no life of the Lord in us. Therefore, the holy, sacramental Supper does not make the spiritual, unbroken, daily Supper superfluous, but, on the contrary, necessary and indispensable. He who has really tasted of Christ, hungers daily, thirsts for Him always. To hunger and thirst for Him, to long and yearn for Him, is the same as eating Him, sustaining and nourishing His life in us. He has instituted this spiritual communion, this daily Supper (John 6:53-56). In this passage He at least does not exclusively speak of the Sacrament. He has at any rate promised the daily communion (Revelation 3:20), ’I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me. " Consequently, Christ can always sup with us and we with Him. The way in which it is done, He Himself must teach us. Even David speaks of this (Psa. 23). The saints of all times, before and after the manifestation of Christ on earth, have been "eating" of Him and living by Him; they have ’’feasted of fat things full of marrow" (Isaiah 25:6), and have been refreshed by the ’’rivers" and "fountains" which He opened in high places, and in the midst of valleys, yea, in all places where souls have thirsted for the water of life The river of God, which is full of water, was well known to them. Come, come, all ye that are athirst, come each day and draw water with joy from the wells of salvation!
Thou givest all I wanted,
The Food that death destroys;
And Thou hast freely granted
The Cup of endless joys.
Ah, Lord, I do not merit
The favor Thou hast shown,
And all my soul and spirit
Bow down before Thy throne.
