The Bread of Life
John 6:35-40
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
In John 6, the crowd that sought Jesus out were seeking Him because he met their immediate needs of the world. He provided them with food. Jesus told them in John 6:26,-27 “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God, the Father has set his seal.”
Others, like those in the crowd, grumble because God isn't meeting their expectations of who they want Him to be. Many of the Jews expected Jesus to free them from the Romans and give them the power. Instead, Jesus offered them the living bread from heaven -eternal life and a life on this earth of self sacrifice. He told them that when the Roman soldiers asked them to carry something one mile, carry it two.
Deep down, what we all need, what we thirst and hunger for is God. We were made for Him. He is the only bread that satisfies our hunger. Yet we spend our energies day after day on bread that perishes, seeking what Jesus can provide us. We want him to meet our needs. We bring our cares and concerns before Him and ask Him to fix them.
I sometimes ask Him to make my life more comfortable and convenient or give me the recognition I feel I am due rather than ask Him what I can do to serve Him. Like the brother that asked Jesus to tell his brother to share the inheritance in Luke 12:13-21, I sometimes ask God to give me what I am rightly due rather than ask God to use me to meet the needs of someone else.
Too often recently I spend my resources of time and energy on myself (grumbling along the way about didn't turn out what I anticipated) rather than pouring it all out before Christ. There are people who are barely making it through the day. Their lives are incredibly tough. They struggle with depression, divorce, violence, a shortage of funds, and on and on. Yet, like the man who was going to build bigger barns to store all his crops, I am concerned for a lack of conflict (or ease) in my own life. If only I had eyes to see rightly.
Someone recently asked me what my deepest heart's desire is. When I really think about it, it is to share God's heart for others. It is to be where He is caring about what He cares about, His Kingdom and His purposes coming forth. I love to be so close to God as to share His heart. When I do, I have joy like a river overflowing it's banks (John 16:24). Yet lately, I cannot see past the pain of difficulty in my circumstances. Rather than being one with His desires, I am desperately hoping he will fix the difficulty in my life and make my life more comfortable.
Fenelon asks today, “why is it that we, who so often obtain life from Him, refuse to live for him? What becomes of that bread from heaven, that wholly divine flesh?..Are we growing in Jesus Christ because of our feeding on him? How shameful it is that we are always searching for pleasure, always grumbling at the slightest suffering, always crawling around searching for comfort...”
Lord, I long to be someone who lives for you. I long to be where you are. Yet, I feel so entangled in the world. I don't know how to deal with my circumstances and I desperately need your help. Would you forgive me and set me free to live for you? Would you direct my path and teach me what I cannot see?
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
In John 6, the crowd that sought Jesus out were seeking Him because he met their immediate needs of the world. He provided them with food. Jesus told them in John 6:26,-27 “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God, the Father has set his seal.”
Others, like those in the crowd, grumble because God isn't meeting their expectations of who they want Him to be. Many of the Jews expected Jesus to free them from the Romans and give them the power. Instead, Jesus offered them the living bread from heaven -eternal life and a life on this earth of self sacrifice. He told them that when the Roman soldiers asked them to carry something one mile, carry it two.
Deep down, what we all need, what we thirst and hunger for is God. We were made for Him. He is the only bread that satisfies our hunger. Yet we spend our energies day after day on bread that perishes, seeking what Jesus can provide us. We want him to meet our needs. We bring our cares and concerns before Him and ask Him to fix them.
I sometimes ask Him to make my life more comfortable and convenient or give me the recognition I feel I am due rather than ask Him what I can do to serve Him. Like the brother that asked Jesus to tell his brother to share the inheritance in Luke 12:13-21, I sometimes ask God to give me what I am rightly due rather than ask God to use me to meet the needs of someone else.
Too often recently I spend my resources of time and energy on myself (grumbling along the way about didn't turn out what I anticipated) rather than pouring it all out before Christ. There are people who are barely making it through the day. Their lives are incredibly tough. They struggle with depression, divorce, violence, a shortage of funds, and on and on. Yet, like the man who was going to build bigger barns to store all his crops, I am concerned for a lack of conflict (or ease) in my own life. If only I had eyes to see rightly.
Someone recently asked me what my deepest heart's desire is. When I really think about it, it is to share God's heart for others. It is to be where He is caring about what He cares about, His Kingdom and His purposes coming forth. I love to be so close to God as to share His heart. When I do, I have joy like a river overflowing it's banks (John 16:24). Yet lately, I cannot see past the pain of difficulty in my circumstances. Rather than being one with His desires, I am desperately hoping he will fix the difficulty in my life and make my life more comfortable.
Fenelon asks today, “why is it that we, who so often obtain life from Him, refuse to live for him? What becomes of that bread from heaven, that wholly divine flesh?..Are we growing in Jesus Christ because of our feeding on him? How shameful it is that we are always searching for pleasure, always grumbling at the slightest suffering, always crawling around searching for comfort...”
Lord, I long to be someone who lives for you. I long to be where you are. Yet, I feel so entangled in the world. I don't know how to deal with my circumstances and I desperately need your help. Would you forgive me and set me free to live for you? Would you direct my path and teach me what I cannot see?
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