It was an enormous crowd. Five thousand men, plus women and children, had followed Him to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee. Most of them didn’t understand that this amazing Rabbi offered them more than signs and wonders. As the Messiah, He was Himself a Sign and Wonder.
Jesus stepped off the boat and into the middle of their need. He came to meet their spiritual needs but He addressed physical ones too—in this case, hunger. Accepting a small meal from a generous boy, He fed every person there and more, with 12 baskets of leftovers.
It was an extraordinary depiction of one of Jesus’ titles for Himself. Jesus filled hungry bellies and touched hungry hearts. Several times in John 6, Jesus defined Himself for His followers as the “Bread of Life.” This image hearkened back to the manna that God provided in the wilderness to the Israelites under Moses’ leadership.
Neither the manna in the wilderness nor the meal by the Sea of Galilee could satisfy people indefinitely. In a few hours, or the next day, their stomachs would be growling.
Yet when we take and eat The Bread of Life, we will never hunger again.
Those of us who follow Christ understand that He offered His body and blood through His crucifixion and resurrection. More than a one-time meal at salvation, He offers us the Bread of Life on a daily basis. How do we receive it?
Accept His offer. First of all, it’s a conscious act. Chewing and absorbing the Bread begins with the Scriptures.
Chew on His Word. Read the Bible daily. If you aren’t sure where to begin, check out our devotional magazine, indeed, or our Daily Walk Bible, with its daily reading plan. Or simply start with the book of John.
Let Him feed you. In John 15, Jesus tells us to abide or remain with Him. While you read your Bible, talk with Him, ask questions, and listen or look for His answers.
Linger at His table. As you go about your day, build an awareness of His presence with you. Continue your conversation with Him from your Bible reading time, and meditate on the truths you are learning.
Through God’s Word, Jesus, the Bread of Life, has laid a feast before us. His invitation to all of us is “Come, and eat.”
*****
Loosely based on a devotion by Paula Kirk that appeared in indeed, July/August 2013, titled “Fed by the Bread.”
As we observe Holy Week and celebrate our Risen Savior, I wanted to let you know that our Walk Thru the Bible President, Phil Tuttle, will be preaching the Good Friday Service (Friday, April 18) as well as the Easter Sunrise Service at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem this Sunday.
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