Thoughts On: John 6:22-34

Jesus answered them, "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 work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."

John 6:26-34, ESV

After I wrote the truth the Jesus multiplies our nourishment, I asked myself some questions that I couldn't shake. What about the ones who don't have food? Does this truth apply to them? I live in a world with supermarkets on every corner and restaurants for every taste. I wasn't sure how this truth made sense outside of this world, but it turns out I only needed to look a little further in the text. It seems I have believed the lie that physical nourishment is all I need. 

In all of my writing this past summer, I forgot about prayer. I didn't forget to pray, but I spent much less time doing it because I spent all my time doing this, studying Scripture and writing about it and trying to apply it to my life. I forgot, though, that I used to write without posting. I used to let myself spill my heart to God knowing that no one else would ever see. So that is what I did this morning, and for the first time in weeks I felt nourished. It felt like coming home.

And then I picked up my Bible and read this passage - that God gives us our bread, but it's not what we think. It's not an asiago cheese bagel or wheat toast or an english muffin. It's him. The bread is Jesus Christ himself. Christ feeds me.

I needed to remember this today. I needed to remember that spending time with Christ is what will feed me. I needed to remember that the striving is not the key, because Jesus is the only one that matters. I needed to remember that being fed by him is a joy, and it is the only way I ever find peace. Jesus feeds us no matter what, whether physical nourishment is at our disposal or not, and his food is the food that ultimately matters. I think this one will take a while to sink in, and I think it will change the way I view my health and my healing process, but today I am satisfied. He always fills me up.