John 6:27-40
Be Still: God of Wisdom, please guide my reading by your Spirit. Speak to me today. Amen
Read: John 6:27-40
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.’ (v35)
Encounter: I love bread. I love both ends of the spectrum (sourdough to the cheapest white bread you can find). Controversially I don’t like crusts (though I will eat if pushed, or if in the kind of social setting where it isn’t exactly appropriate as an adult to leave the crusts). I also love garlic bread, ciabatta, baguettes, naan, rolls, and flatbreads. Conclusion? Bread is brilliant.
In today’s passage, Jesus says he is the Bread of Life. He is the best kind of bread there is! In describing himself as the bread of life, he’s saying he is the nourishment that we need in life. As bread satisfies our physically hungry bodies, so Jesus satisfies our spiritually hungry souls.
Apply: Let’s think about five things we know about eating bread:
Bread is good. Jesus is good!
We can’t eat bread once and be always full. So, we need daily bread, and we need daily Jesus.
Stale bread is bad, fresh bread is good. So, let’s not rely on what Jesus said to us yesterday, or an experience we had 5 years ago, when we could be having a fresh encounter every day.
We need bread every time we get hungry (I think that’s a good rule for life). So, we need to call on Jesus every time our hearts get hungry for other things.
A slice of bread is better than the crumbs. So, let’s not settle for crumbs when we could be getting a deep, meaningful encounter with Jesus. It might take a little longer, but he is so worth it.
Devote: Jesus, you alone can satisfy the hunger in my soul. As I meet you now, and throughout times in my day, thank you that you will fill me. I take a moment now to sit with you. Please fill me with you fresh, daily, beautiful, life-changing bread.
