Daily Readings and Thought for October 14th. “SO WHOEVER FEEDS ON ME”
The 6th chapter of John’s Gospel is one of the most thought challenging in the whole Bible. Jesus tells his disciples, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.” [v.51]. The earlier part of the chapter had described the feeding of the five thousand in the wilderness (i.e. an uninhabited area); it is the only miracle recorded in all 4 gospels. And what a lesson Jesus now ‘draws’ for his disciple!. The miraculous provision of ‘heavenly’ bread symbolises Jesus’ teaching. He had earlier told them, “”I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”[v.35]
How few have found the way to avoid this find of hungering and thirsting today without realizing it: the ‘chaff’ tastes OK to those whose who have been brought up on it..
The proof that we have found “the bread of life” is the ongoing effect that our reading and meditating, (with the resultant reality of our prayers), has on each one of us. Jesus very plainly says, “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, … will live because of me.
A key question we must answer is – how do we ‘feed’ on Jesus in a real spiritual sense? Jesus tells them! Look at v. 63! “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
The words of Jesus; and this chapter is a particularly challenging example, provide us with “spirit and life”. In contrast to the world offers us abundant fleshly experiences and then eternal death.
Once again we realize there is no middle way, life is a choice between the “narrow” and the “wide” – Jesus told them (Matt. 7 v.13) People then, and ever since have faced this choice! The “wide” way today, seems wider than ever! Finally we note what happened – as a result of the words of Jesus? “
We read, “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” [v.66] So many today do not even start to follow Jesus! And ourselves? Let us finish our thoughts today by jumping ahead to ch. 8. “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”[v.12] In following him, we must “feed” on him – as our main for our heart and mind diet every day.
