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Listen while you read: "At Thy Feet Our God And Father"1
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John 6:35 – Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." (NIV)
Recently, our whole family went out for dinner at a special pizza restaurant. The menu was amazing, and we all looked forward to eating our chosen meals. Our two-year-old granddaughter, Ellie, was there, too, but as she couldn't read the menu, we just ordered her a plain cheese pizza.
When the server came round with some garlic bread as an appetizer, Ellie enjoyed a piece and declared it to be "yummy". She ate several more pieces, copying her older cousin Andrew, but when the server arrived with the pizzas, she didn't want any. All that she desired to eat was more bread. She loved the taste and the texture, so she didn't want to replace it with something else. While we all ate our chosen meals, Ellie was content to eat what was left of the bread. She knew what she liked and didn't want to change it for anything.
When I read today's verse where Jesus declares Himself to be the bread of life, I wondered how many of us are satisfied with what He has to offer us spiritually. Are we ready to accept all that Jesus brings to the table of our lives as being sufficient for our spirits and souls? Once we taste the bread that He offers, are we content to keep feeding from Christ's life and teaching, or do we set His pieces aside each time we come across something spiritual that is new and interesting?
When Jesus spoke to His people about being the bread of life, He lived in an age when Roman emperors placated the unruly, dissatisfied mobs in Rome with bread and circuses. Also, the temple at Jerusalem was a place where the best bread in the nation was religiously displayed and replaced every week, so when Jesus said that He was the bread of life, He was radically declaring Himself to be better than the emperor and greater than the temple. It was a bold statement and one that would cost His life. Christ sought to inform His followers that as far as spiritual nourishment was concerned, He was more than enough for all of them.
Today, Jesus speaks to us through the gospels with the same declaration, telling us in this twenty-first century that He is still all that we need to nourish our spirits. He has invited us all to "taste and see that the Lord is good". (Psalm 34:8a NIV) All that we must do is to consume what Christ has to offer.
Point to ponder: Has Jesus become my bread of life?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You offer to sustain us by becoming our bread of life. Encourage us to feed on Your Word in ways that will sustain our souls and replenish our spirits. In Your holy name, we thankfully receive and pray. Amen.
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About the author:
John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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Thanks for the good word, John.
Thank you, John. May we feast on Jesus!
Thanks John, blessings to you and your family.
John,
Thank you for this day’s reminder. We are so blessed that you are back writing devotions regularly.
Blessings.
I didn’t know that the ‘bread’ in the temple was the ‘best’ bread, or that the Romans used ‘bread’ to placate … that gives me another ‘better’ understanding of HIS claim to be “the BREAD OF LIFE”. Thank you again John.
There is so much in scripture we don’t “get”. Thank you for that tidbit and its significance! And an important point for our lives: we are what we eat: what do we feed our bodies, our souls and our spirits with? Reality check. Thank you.
Many thanks, John, for another of your very special devotionals. Your words about Ellie were very sweet and really represent how her desire for bread is how we need to desire and accept Jesus in our lives as the “bread of life”. Blessings for these very encouraging and positive writings you prepare.
Good morning, John,
I love bread just like your granddaughter. A good message for us all to remember that Jesus is enough for all of us. I had not put together about the Romans and bread, which I found very interesting. It helps to increase me perspective of the time that Jesus lived on earth. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and understanding. Blessings.
Hi John,
Thank you for another great devotional. I have learned so much from my grandchildren as I thank God for each one of them every day. Before our first grandchild was born, I couldn’t understand all that grandparents were doing and saying about their grandchildren. Now I know, and I do the exact same thing which sometimes sounds and looks like bragging. Did I ever tell you about… and that could go on forever because each one is precious not only to us but to their heavenly Father.
God bless.