Living in the Spirit
August 8, 2015
Scripture Reading: John 6:35, 41-51
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. –John 6:35
I have never been much of a bread eater. In a constant battle to keep my weight in check, bread is one of the foods I have no trouble readily giving up. I do like the hard crusted bread available on most breakfast buffets in Europe and the Middle East. It is this bread I imagine Jesus thinking about when he spoke the words in our scripture today. We must eat to live and bread was a primary source of sustenance in first century Galilee and Judea.
The food we eat is a means to an end: life. Food is not an end unto itself. Actually when it becomes an end unto itself, it can become highly destructive causing heart disease, hardening of the arteries, and other illness/diseases limiting life. Religion is not an end unto itself. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)—the means to wholeness and oneness with God. Jesus was a living example of being faithful to God in his ministry on earth. As Christ crucified and resurrected, he opened the door for all to enter an eternal kingdom where God’s love is our spiritual sustenance.
We living into the fruition of that kingdom today as we are called to love God and to love one another making this place a haven where everyone has both enough food for their bodies and abundant food for their souls. It is our call to faithfulness from Jesus Christ.
Feed My lambs, tend My sheep, over all a vigil keep;
In My name, lead them forth gently as a shepherd.
When they wander, when they stray, their protector be.
As ye do unto My flock, thus ye do to me.
Feed My lambs, tend My sheep, over all a vigil keep;
In My name, lead them forth gently as a shepherd.
Unto all who lose the way Hope and comfort be.
As ye do unto My flock, thus ye do to Me.
Feed My lambs, tend My sheep, over all a vigil keep;
In My name, lead them forth gently, gently as a loving shepherd of the Lord.
As a loving shepherd of the Lord.*
Prayer: Shape me into a Shepherd like Jesus. Amen.