July 4
THE WORD, NECESSARY FOOD
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matt. 4:4
If God so willed it we could live without bread, even as Jesus did
for forty days; but we could not live without His Word. By that Word
we were created, and by it alone can we be kept in being, for he
sustaineth all things by the Word of His power. Bread is a second
cause; the Lord Himself is the first source of our sustenance. He can
work without the second cause as well as with it; and we must not tie
Him down to one mode of operation. Let us not be too eager after the
visible, but let us look to the invisible God. We have heard believers
say that in deep poverty, when bread ran short, their appetites became
short too; and to others, when common supplies failed, the Lord has
sent in unexpected help. But we must have the Word of the Lord. With
this alone we can withstand the devil. Take this from us, and our
enemy will have us in his power, for we shall soon faint. Our souls
need food, and there is none for them outside of the Word of the Lord.
All the books and all the preachers in the world cannot furnish us a
single meal: it is only the Word from the mouth of God that can fill
the mouth of a believer. Lord, evermore give us this bread. We prize
it above royal dainties.