"I Am"نموونە

I am the bread of life.

Not far off the eastern shores of Honduras, in the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, lies the Bay Island of Roatán. Known for its beautiful beaches, barrier reef, and its incredible snorkeling, Roatán is a little slice of paradise. But away from the glitz and glam of the tourist spots, live some of the poorest and hungriest people my son has ever seen. At least that’s how he described it after returning home from there recently.

Hunger exists everywhere in the world and not just on distant shores, but seeing it up close gives us a new appreciation for this most fundamental human need. Whether we have a little food or a lot, our lives revolve around cycles of hunger and fullness. Perhaps that is why Jesus compared himself to the most basic staple of the human diet, bread.

It was the day after the miraculous feeding of the 5,000. The fullness from the previous night’s meal was wearing off when the crowd came looking for Jesus to feed them again. He had taken five loaves and two small fish, blessed them, and distributed them to thousands of hungry people in a massive display of his creative power and deity.

But the next day, when the hungry crowds came looking for Jesus again, he knew their motives. They weren’t coming to him because they saw the signs, but to satisfy their physical hunger. The food they wanted was the perishable kind, but Jesus was offering them food that would last forever. His food was a right relationship with him where he would be their bread and sustain, fill, and satisfy them forever.

Just like the fickle crowds that chased after Jesus for the free lunch, we too can follow Jesus with less-than-pure motives. We can find him and his teachings useful for living a morally upright life, running a profitable business, and raising “good” kids. Pursuing those outcomes without treasuring the one who gives them, is like enjoying one meal of loaves and fish when you’re offered a lifetime of them.

Have you tasted the bread of life? When we partake of him, we find him to be the food our souls need most. To believe in him is to eat and be satisfied both now and forever. He is the sustenance of our lives, and he is our daily bread.

Respond

• How (and where) am I finding satisfaction for my soul?
• Do I go to Jesus because of the gifts he gives, or because I find him, the giver, the greatest gift?
• How has Jesus provided for both my physical and spiritual needs?