“Then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall.”

Hymn: “Break Thou the Bread of Life” – Mary Lathbury (1841-1913)
Tune: BREAD OF LIFE

It seems appropriate on the day which we celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday (it’s actually January 15), we should deal with the cessation of tyranny – a VERY biblical principle… one for which I have great concern.

In the context of this hymn text, when the truth of scripture is revealed, “THEN shall all bondage cease (and) all fetters fall.”

It is truly a shame that it has taken the truth of scripture so long to achieve enough comprehension to drive the people of the Author to stand up against enslaved, subjugated individuals and groups… locally and worldwide. How did we miss that consistent freeing theme? Why did the church and her leaders perpetuate the injustice? I am baffled by that.

Three years ago thisweek, the airwaves were inundated by stories of the senseless murders of four journalists/cartoonists in Paris, while little was mentioned of the two thousand slaughtered in Borno, Africa, at the hand of the Boco Haram. Less glamourous, I guess – less likely to draw a crowd to march arm-in-arm down the dusty streets of the small towns in that Nigerian state. I am all for the freedom of the press, but I am more-so for the freedom of individuals and groups who are going about their everyday lives and suffering not for publishing offensive cartoons but for simply being.

I will step off my soapbox now to say that when the layers are peeled back and the Word of God is read and understood without prejudice or agenda, something will be done to end the rampant spread of evil suppression and repression the world around – at least down the street.

The hymnline that follows this one is, “And I shall find my peace.” With Paul McCartney, I have to say, “Let it be! Let it be!” [That’s “amen” in church-speak!]

An Instrumental Medley Beginning with This Hymn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_tFreCeVkk