e-vo for week of August 1

Dearest e-votees-

What are you hungering for? What would really satisfy you? Are you hungering for something that will perish or something that will endure for eternal life?

If you could have Jesus do one thing for you that would shore up your belief in him what would you ask? What would satisfy your spiritual longings? What might slake your doubts?

We live in a world that cultivates dissatisfaction and skepticism and an egocentric way of being in the world. How might God help us to receive and believe in the bread of life which comes from heaven—Jesus?

Peace,
Karl

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24 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. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26 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. 27 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." 28 Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30 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? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " 32 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. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." 35 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 6:24-35, NRSV

Leading into this account about the bread of life is Jesus feeding the 5,000 men (and women and children courtesy of Matthew) with five barley loaves and two fish. When all was said and done there were 12 baskets of leftovers (perhaps one for each disciple). This miracle is what Jesus is referencing in verse 26. The crowd asks Jesus for a sign. They said that their ancestors ate manna—bread from heaven—and they want a sign as well. They had just had such a sign when Jesus blessed, broke and distributed enough food for thousands of people from a boy’s lunch but apparently they were still hungry for more signs. They want to see if Jesus has the same kind of power that Moses had. Jesus offers everything he has—himself. He says those who come to him will never be hungry and never be thirsty.

Immediately before this account is Jesus walking on the water. Jesus has shown several signs that should convince even the most dissatisfied and skeptical and self-centered person that Jesus is different than what the world offers. Jesus is something not like the fading satisfactions of a meal or a cool drink. Jesus has power over the foodstuffs of fish and bread (about as basic as a meal gets in that culture). Jesus has power over the waters (obviously necessary for life but also seen as chaotic and fierce and threatening). Jesus offers himself saying those who seek him will sate their hungers and slake their thirsts.

In the face of all of these demonstrations of power the people still want more. No matter how much they seem to see and taste and drink and experience they still want more. Somehow being in the very presence of Jesus doesn’t seem to take care of all the desires and longings of the human heart. Perhaps when we are honest we don’t always feel that all of our needs and desires and longings are properly tended either. This is when faith comes in. We are saved not because of what we feel or think or perceive or experience. We are saved (and do the works of God) by believing in Jesus whom God has sent. And even this belief is a gift from God for we cannot believe in our own strength. In this Jesus—in whom God stirs us to believe—our hungers will be sated. In this Jesus—in whom God stirs us to believe—our thirsts will be slaked. In this Jesus—in whom God stirs us to believe—there is sustenance that endures for eternal life.


God, work belief in us. In spite of our dissatisfaction work belief and bring life. In spite of our skepticism work belief and bring life. In spite of our egocentric ways work belief and bring life. God, bring eternal life in us. Amen.