Jesus—Food for the Soul

I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. John 6.35

Welcome to today's encouragement from our daily bread. Jesus, food for the soul, was written by Arthur Jackson and bread by Westward.

John 6.35.41-51

Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

At this, the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, I am the bread that came down from heaven. They said, is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?

How can he now say, I came down from heaven? Stop grumbling among yourselves, Jesus answered. No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, they will all be taught by God.

Everyone who has heard the father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the father except the one who is from God, only he has seen the father.

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Jesus, food for the soul, written by Arthur Jackson.

In the African American home I was raised in, meals often included scrumptious soul food. The term originated in the mid-1960s when soul was a common term used to describe African American culture.

Soul food menu items included fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, greens, sweet potatoes, cornbread and more.

Desserts were a bonus. The taste bud tickling peach cobbler was the most satisfying to me. What a feast.

Feasting in different cultures looks different, but because food is essential for life, Jesus' words in John 635 are significant for all people.

I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Such claims as these would be outrageous if they were made by a mere human being. But Jesus, the Christ, could make such astounding claims because he's the very son of God.

He told sign seekers, though seeking immediate short-term benefit, that satisfaction of physical hunger wasn't enough.

As the Son of God, Jesus is the source of true life and the sustainer of life, all those who believe in Him for the forgiveness of sins through His death and resurrection share His life.

Jesus is the essential food for the soul. Life, nourishment and true satisfaction are found in Him alone.

Let's pray. O Jesus, you are the bread of life who satisfies the deepest hunger of our souls.

Nourish us each day with your presence and help us to trust you as the source of true and lasting life.

Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen.

As you go about your day, reflect on these questions.

How does Jesus nourish and satisfy you?

What's keeping you from seeking the one who says, I am the bread of life?