Devotion 12/11, Bread of Life

Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35

Christ used simple illustrations to reveal His truths to people. We all know what it is like to be hungry and thirsty, so God uses these as an analogy for our “spiritual” being.
Here, He is telling them that when they come to Him, He will satisfy their spiritual hunger forever. We have all eaten a really big meal and thought to ourselves, “I am so stuffed that I am never going to be hungry again!” But sure enough a few hours later we are rummaging around for more food as our stomach growls. Jesus is assuring them that when they come to Him they will never go spiritually hungry, they will never need to seek another god, for He is the only true God that can satisfy the hunger of our souls! God has placed a God-shaped vacuum in each person that only He can fill. There will be no lasting contentment until we “allow” Him to fill that vacuum with Himself. Yes, we are the only thing that gets in the way of God filling our souls.

Christ says, “and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty.” It is so satisfying to have a cool drink of water on a hot day isn’t it. But an hour later we are thirsty again and need another drink.
Those who believe in Jesus Christ will find their soul-thirst forever quenched. In John 4:7-26, we read about Jesus going to a well and meeting a Samaritan woman who was collecting water there for the day. Jesus says to her in verse 14, “ whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Whoever drinks of Christ’s blessings and mercies will never thirst again. Not only do His benefits fill our hearts, but they overflow it as well. The blessings that Christ gives are not limited to this earth, they will go on for all of eternity.

Eternity, in this verse Jesus is saying His word will fill our souls for eternity. Letting God fill our soul is His wish for us His children. As a believer in Jesus Christ there are so many resources about God, Jesus Christ, faith, etc. But those are all “about”. Our opportunity to “live in” His word is the bible. We can read about a place but it’s never the same as going there and experiencing it. We can only experience God when we go there, the Bible, and witness for ourselves God in his Word.

Deep in our soul is a hunger, a soul hunger. This hunger cannot be filled by food, or drink. This hunger was the desire built into us by our Creator, placed there when he knit us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-16). This hunger can only be satisfied by Jesus in our lives and living in God’s word, the Bible.

Please fill me, my Father, with Jesus. Give me today, my Daily Bread, that I may find life in all its fullness. Precious Lord, Jesus my Savior, fill me and touch me with your presence so that I can serve you by blessing those around me with your grace. In the name of Jesus, my Living Bread, I pray. Amen.

Lord, stir in my heart a committment to fill my soul with your Holy Word. Only your Word from your Bible and the Holy Spirit can quench the thirst of my soul. Fill my soul that I might experience you. I seek to live my life as a living witness for you. I ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.