DAY 139

SEEK LIFE

1 Chronicles 7, 8 & 9 and John 6:22-44

More genealogies, but now you might see the point. The Jewish people will be returning (and that story is coming). The point of the genealogies is in part meant to connect them, to connect them back to their beginnings.

Jesus is continuing to connect back – He is now saying that He is the Bread of Life. This in not just an illusion to manna, Jesus outright tells them, “It was not Moses who gave them bread, but the Father. And now the Father will give bread that gives life to the world, “Give us this bread”” they say – Jesus’ answer – I am the bread that gives life to the world…the Bread of Life.

This teaching from Jesus is going to continue tomorrow, but let’s deal with a few things right now. Jesus is again pointing to the Father through himself. He is not trying to give glory to himself. He is concerned about the people. “Stop worrying about what you will eat, or drink, or wear…and seek first the Kingdom.” That is how he described his concern for them in Matthew. In John we see the same concern expressed differently – seek things eternal – seek life.

Jesus is trying to get those who will listen – and that includes those of us today – to stop chasing after earthly concerns and to seek things eternal…to seek life. He goes on to say that if we come to Him, He will never cast us out…even when we are not at our best. This is a message to plant deeply inside yourself and this is a verse “those who come to Me, I will never cast out” is a verse to memorize.

You and I live in a world that is constantly trying to get us to chase after “things earthly.” The world’s efforts are somewhat successful. We all spend a fair bit of time doing exactly that. I am asking myself what I might need to stop chasing in order to have more life. How can I have more life? Jesus would suggest that it is in and through Him. Today is Sunday. We have Holy Communion each Sunday. We partake of the Bread of Life. We come each week and believe the words Jesus spoke, “This is my Body” he said. We gather around His Table remembering all He had done and continues to do. We hear his Word, we smell our prayers rising as incense, we see the beauty of the church, we touch and taste the very One in whose present we have come to receive life.