Thursday, May 10

THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2018

"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.  But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.  All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.  For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.  For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.'" (John 6:35-40)

Jesus makes seven "I am" statements in the Book of John.  These statements point to His divinity, echoing God's self-description in Exodus.  This passage includes the declaration:  "I am the bread of life."

The statement highlights that, by knowing Christ, we will find spiritual sufficiency.  We "will never go hungry" and "never be thirsty," meaning that God will satisfy our deepest longings.  We often seek fulfillment of these spiritual longings through physical means, and the results still leave us longing.  Jesus explains that, while the Israelites received manna from heaven, they would find bread of life in Him alone.

Through His declaration, Jesus also reveals more about God's nature — and His compassion to reach out to us.  Jesus had discussed "living water" with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4, but He has now expanded His audience.  Later in John 6, however, some disciples choose to abandon Him in light of the challenges that they would face.  The Gospels therefore mimic our lives:  God stands ready to reveal more of Himself to those open to Him, but we face worldly challenges in staying faithful to Him.  While it doesn't make day-to-day living any easier, we may find strength in knowing that, even though the early disciples struggled, the power of the Holy Spirit carried them from defeat (after the arrest and Crucifixion) to victory.

What longings do you have today?  How may you depend more fully on Jesus as the bread of life?

Lord God, thank You for sending Your Son as the bread of life.  Strengthen us today to trust You more fully.  Help us to abide in You so that we find satisfaction for our deepest longings in knowing You.  Bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in us, allowing us to declare Your goodness to a hungry and thirsty world.  In Jesus's precious Name, amen.