Today’s scripture: John 6:41-51 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Robin Herman):
I am the bread of life. John 6:48
One of the more powerful arguments against the existence of God is the lack of physical proof. Some of us choose to see proof of God all the time — in the beauty of a new flower, in the joy of a puppy romping across the yard. But so many of these things can be explained away by scientists, researchers, and historians.
But on the other hand, there’s the Bible. Every time I really dig in to a verse such as this one, I’m astounded by the wisdom it offers me, at how relevant it was then and how relevant it is today. There is no other book of its age and its diversity of authors that is so insightful and timeless.
I am the bread of life.
Jesus is my sustenance — the substance that nourishes every part of my life. As I try to wade through the practicality of this verse, I see endless examples I can learn from. It seems to be calling our free will into check. What standards do we choose to hold our selves to? What activities do we choose to engage in? What do we have faith in?
Sometimes at work, it’s easy to stand around and be negative about someone. It can roll like a snowball down hill, with everyone adding another quip, another example of what a fool this person is, or a bad boss, or a bad co-worker. We walk away feeling better about ourselves. At least we’re not like them. . . This is a practical example of what this verse says to me. Self discipline is a hard thing to do. Walking away from what everyone else thinks is fun and surrounding yourself with what is right is hard.
I encourage you to take this verse with you for just one day. I did, as I was preparing to write about it. I was amazed how many examples I came up with — it was overwhelming. It applied to almost everything I encountered, from speeding to work, to waiting in a long line at the store, to gossiping, to what I had selected for lunch, to how I treated my partner when I came home.
Mostly, this verse says to me is that God is a choice. A choice that I make hundreds of times each day.
Thought for the day: I am the bread of life. How can I choose, today, right now, to make Jesus the nourishment of every area of my life?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.