I Am: The Bread of Life
Ask: What is your favorite kind of bread?
One day Jesus and his disciples were out in the country and a big crowd of people came to him…a REALLY big crowd, at least 5,000 people. Jesus taught all day and, in the evening, when the whole crowd was hungry, Jesus did a miracle by taking a little boy’s lunch of 5 small loaves of bread and 2 fish and fed the ENTIRE crowd, and there were leftovers! Maybe you’ve heard that story, but did you know there is a second part to it?
That night Jesus and the disciples traveled to the other side of a big lake that was nearby. The next day the same big crowd came looking for him, but they weren’t looking for him because they believed he was God’s Son. They were hungry again and wanted more free food! How rude, right? When they found him, Jesus told the people that instead of trying to get bread for their stomachs they needed to believe that he was from God and get bread for their souls.
Read: John 6:30-35
So, what does it mean that Jesus is the bread of life? Bread may fill our empty stomach, but Jesus fills our empty hearts and gives us abundant, eternal life. He helps us have what we need physically but more importantly, he gives us all that we need to be content and joyful spiritually. And when we are content and joyful in Jesus, we can face whatever might happen in our life, good or bad.
Jesus promises to fill those who come and believe in him (v. 35). Ask Jesus today to help you believe and trust him. He is always faithful!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for providing Jesus as the bread of life. Please help me to believe and trust him so that I can be content and joyful. In Jesus’ name, amen.