Jesus tells us to seek spiritual food. John 6: 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” [1]
I remember reading in grade school about the Klondike Gold Rush from 1896 to 1899, when people faced the hardships of cold and rugged terrain to find their fortune. How many people lost their lives or health in the pursuit of worldly gains as they pursued their dreams of wealth? Others may have discovered wealth only to realize it did not satisfy.
Yesterday, it might have been the gold fields, but our enemy, satan, is constantly tempting us with new pursuits to draw people away from Jesus. While the world calls us to take the broad road, the Lord calls us to follow a different path that leads to eternal life. Matthew 7:13Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. [2]
Looking to Jesus
I believe everyone desires a fulfilling life, but only when we seek out Jesus and place our faith in Him does the true meaning of life come into focus. Where are you on your journey of life? Have you been pursuing the things of this world, only to be deceived? It is not unusual for God to use our worldly pursuits to reveal the falsehood of such a path.
Only God can fill the emptiness in our hearts, and when we humble ourselves and repent, He guides us on a new path. Jesus engaged the people who were seeking Him not for spiritual reasons but because He had met their physical needs when He fed the 5000. It was then that Jesus urged everyone to seek Him as the one who provides the sustaining food that leads to eternal life. He Himself is that very food.
Eternal Life
Ponder eternal life for a few seconds. The famous Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon searched for the Fountain of Youth. Yet eternal life is not found in a magical stream or by eating a particular food, but in Jesus. He explained this with an image of bread. John 6:48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.[3]
Just as bread is a daily necessity, spiritual nourishment in Christ is even more vital. Without Jesus—our spiritual bread—hope for heaven is lost, leaving only suffering. That’s why Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” This claim of being the only source of eternal life may have initially confused Jesus’ disciples.
They knew about bread, but didn’t understand Jesus’ meaning until after His death and resurrection. Today, if you have never placed your faith in Jesus, He is calling you through the Holy Spirit to transform your life now and in eternity. Seek spiritual food that lasts. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/jesus-said-i-am-the-bread-of-life
[1-3] The Holy Bible: New International Version (1984). Zondervan.