Living in the Spirit

July 31, 2021

Scripture Reading: John 6:24-35
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” ’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’

Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

We are very much like our ancestors in faith. We want to know what is in it for us.  We, too, long for absolutes in a world constantly changing. Viruses mutate to catch us off guard. We get frustrated with scientists trying to keep a step ahead of the virus, changing their recommendations to at least match but preferably to win the race against the virus. We thus become our own worst enemies refusing to do the most straightforward actions that might save our lives and the lives of those around us.

In the story above, Jesus recognizes that human nature is not hearing what he is teaching. Jesus did not come to help us get rich quickly or overindulge. He came to bring us life and bring it more abundantly*. His abundance is not related to material wealth. He is trying to help us understand that abundant life is a life where our love of God, ourselves, and all others brought together in oneness results in the best outcomes for everyone in all aspects of life.  It perhaps is too easy. Thus, it becomes too hard when we must give up the ways of the world to attain shalom and justice for all.

Prayer: Lord, open our hearts and minds to accept the simplicity of living in our love of you, ourselves, and one another. Amen.

*John 10:10

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.