The Divine offer

The Divine offer

The Bread of Life.

(The Gospel History, Section 64)

Work not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed.

The Divine offer

(The Saviour of the World, Vol IV, Book I, Poem XI)

“Work not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give you; for him the Father, even God, hath sealed.”

Ye, have come here for meat; ye hold that I
May serve you ever as I served you once:
For this, your thoughts have laboured:

Nay, labour not for meat which perisheth,
Which, having eaten, nought to you remains,
And soon again ye hunger.

For there is meat the Son of man shall give—
Which whoso eats is nourished all his days,
Nay, fed to life eternal.

This meat endures to everlasting life;
Sustains thro’ every fainting and distress,
And never fails man’s hunger.

“But what is life, then, Lord, and what is meat?
We thought we knew these two, if nought besides,
By many a sore endeavour.”

Nay, there, my children, err ye; life is not
Getting and having fond things of the flesh,
Not these the things shall feed you.

See you, the Son holds life as one holds bread
And feeds the famished beggar at his gate;
So gives the Son to all men.

Who knows his life a gift, imparted straight
Moment by moment marked on dial plate,
Thinks not he can sustain it

By all his restless runnings to and fro,
By meat and drink his labours bring him in:—
These perish in the using.

But He who giveth life must needs support
With Bread He knows to minister at need,
Will men but come and take it.

For Him hath God the Father sealed for this;
For this, Anointed, that He might provide
Due bread to feed His people.

Behold the Son, sustainer of mankind!
For whatso dearth of body, heart, mind, soul,—
He holds the Sustenance fitting.

Let be, those labours that fail to nourish men;
Ho, ye that hunger, take the life I give,—
And daily bread to feed you!

St. John vi. 27.