"This Do in Remembrance of Me"

Luke 22; 1 Cor. 11.

We shall NEVER forget the Lord! This is certain, and it is because of the Holy Ghost who is in us, and who ever testifies of Him. His name both here and in heaven is, and will ever be, "as ointment poured forth." But He has chosen in an especial way to connect the remembrance of Himself now (that is, while we are on earth) with this one simple act: the "breaking of bread."

We get something deeply affecting to us in this. We remember HIM, and cannot help it, but it is His LOVE that is specially before us when it is His death. And this, His death, is before us in the breaking of bread; "This is My body which is given for you. … This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you." We have reached Him and His love, and in His LOVE we have reached the relation in which now and to all eternity we are with Him.

Human love as formed of God is great, and it may even be so great as to go on to death. "Love is strong as death." But death comes in, and it is of no avail then. Here is a love that is stronger than death. For death His death, in infinite love, is before us, and still we know His love. The judgment of God was met in infinite LOVE, and it was exhausted. When it is a question of not only exhausting, but of going beyond, the judgment of God, it is only the love of Christ that can do that. This is before us in the breaking of bread.

We remember HIM. As we break bread, His love, expressed in death and going beyond it, comes before us, but we do not gather together to show the Lord's death. We do show it, but we gather together to "do this in remembrance" of HIM. He is more to us than anything that He has done, and in the breaking of bread He is pleased to remind us of the greatness of LOVE - HIS love. But if His love was what He manifested, of necessity He is greater than it! "This do in remembrance of ME." May our hearts give the glad response that He can accept, the only one that is becoming in us to give. It is the way to be led on to know Him better: He joins the company. "I will declare Thy name unto My brethren; in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto Thee." (Heb. 2.) And in listening to Him, do we not learn more? H. C. Anstey.