Daily Bread

This devotional considers John 6:25-60 and Hebrews 4:14-16.

They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven?’”

Sometimes, when I read passages like this, I want to separate myself from these kinds of people who test the Lord, question, doubt and ultimately walk away from Jesus because his teaching is too hard—which is what happened in this case. But today, I want to take a step back because I may not overtly ask, Who does Jesus think he is? But I at times live in a way that denies that I believe he is who he says he is.

Over and over Jesus said that he is the bread of life; he is the source of eternal life and for daily living. When things get hard and we’re under a lot of pressure, we have to train ourselves to live out of Jesus’ living provision. It will take stopping and confessing who Jesus has revealed himself to be. It takes praying. It takes believing in a way that shifts our mindsets and decision making for every small and large thing. What does Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you look like for us today?

How about I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty? 

I am the bread that came down from Heaven.

I am the living bread that came down from Heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.

Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you…for my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.

Is this just for communion on a Sunday morning? Just for salvation, a ticket Heaven?

The Son of Man, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know (the reason the people gave for not believing), he is the source of everything life-giving that we need in this life and the next. Scripture says, we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Today, let’s live in way that shows we trust that Jesus is who he says he is—that he is our living bread. Let’s listen to the Holy Spirit and make the adjustments we need to. 

Amen.