Jesus likens himself here to the manna which came down from heaven during Israel’s time in the desert. He claimed to be the bread of life just as he had previously claimed to be the source of living water. Hunger and thirst are metaphors here for the deepest longings of the human heart. The answer to our deepest longing is not food, drink or any other inanimate thing. These things satisfy the body for a short time but cannot penetrate the longings of the soul. There are, likewise, many forms of entertainment that will occupy the mind for a short time but will fail to drown out the longing of the soul. The answer to our deepest needs is not some thing but a person. The food and drink that gives life to the soul is relationships. We were made to live as children of God nourished by his love and blessing in harmonious loving relationships with other people. This divine family environment is our natural habitat apart from which we cannot flourish. Jesus is your connection point with this family. He is the bread of life. You may have food, clothing, a nice place to live and plenty of entertainment, but this is not enough. You are not a plant or an animal that such things would suffice. You are a child of God, and you need to reconnect with God’s love, not just theoretically, but concretely, in your present experience. Jesus made that possible and he holds the door open for you. Come to him and find what your soul longs for.
Commit yourself to God today and receive his love and blessing.
Read John 6:25-40
