1 Chronicles 7-9 John 6:22-44

“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, you aren’t looking for me because you saw me do miracles. You are looking for me because you ate the bread and were satisfied. Don’t work for the food that spoils. Work for the food that stays good always and gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give you this food, because on him God the Father has put his power.’” (John 6:26-17 NCV)

Jesus could tell it in their eyes, or perhaps He read their hearts. However He did it, He sensed that the people would have sought to make Him king to overthrow the Romans. As good as that idea may have seemed to Jesus, this wasn’t His mission. Jesus took off to be alone. The disciples had rowed the boat out of Dodge, heading towards the other side of the lake. The people had seen the disciples leave and the noted that Jesus wasn’t with them. They searched for Him and found Him with the disciples on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. They asked Jesus about His travel plans and Jesus responded by noting they didn’t really care to follow Him as Messiah; they wanted to follow Him as the miracle worker and restauranteur. He let them know that even more important than physical food, was spiritual food that brings eternal life – and that food was found in Him.

Jesus switched back and forth between the literal and the figurative often when He taught. He’s using the same figurative language that He’d use later when He told the disciples that this was His body. Jesus needs to be in us for us to have eternal life. The concern Jesus expressed is that too often we spend our lives worrying about our food, our clothes, or our housing. Today we could add concerns about our jobs, our cars, our electronics, and our recreation. We worry about, and focus on, all these things and fail to make sure that Jesus comes first. When we put Jesus first in our lives, a lot of other things change as well. The pursuit of wealth doesn’t seem as important as caring for the people God loves. Accumulating things becomes less important than meeting the needs of others. Lifting others up is more pleasurable than putting them down. Jesus will give us this food, because that’s why God gave Him the power to do so. We have this food, this forgiveness, grace, and mercy, this love of God because Jesus died for us. The key to success in life is being a hungry man, sharing the bread of life with other hungry men.

Help me to see Your miracles, Lord, but not seek them for my own pleasure. Help me to eat the bread that gives eternal life and then share that bread with others who need to know You.

Scripture taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.