“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.””
(John 6:54-58 NIV)
I think a lot of people really can’t believe that Jesus provides for all of our needs. It really is easier not to, and to just go on miserably trying to provide for yourself, just like everyone else. And I don’t just mean food, shelter, and entertainment. Jesus provides for our deepest needs. If Jesus just provided for our feelings, I think he would have said he was the living jacket or headscarf.
Jesus is as simple to believe in as it is for a child to eat bread. But it’s only when somebody believes in Him that they can see His work. I know a few guys who have left the faith. I don’t know all of their stories, or how they went down that road, but I remember at one stage in my walk I was terribly afraid that someday I would give up on Jesus and turn away. I remember sitting in my car in the BuyLow parking lot across from Harrison, praying and crying out to God that He would not let me turn away. There wasn’t any particular temptation or some dancing girl luring me or anything like that, I just remember that’s where I was when I my fear of that reached a peak. At some point I came across something by John Piper where he talked about how we aren’t afraid of falling away from marriage to our spouse as long as we are courting their love and feeding our marriage. He said it’s the same way with God. We need not fear falling away as long as we’re running after Him.
I think it’s this same way w/ Jesus talking about being the bread of life. As we go to him and feed on Him and drink Him in, we are full of Him. Ok, make it practical.
I gripe and moan at my wife after working on the house because she didn’t carry on about what a good job I did. I am THIRSTING for some attention and some gratitude and I went to her to get it. She is HUNGRY for some peace while she is trying to keep 4 kids satisfied for the whole day.
Day two: I work on the house and fix things up because I KNOW that it will bring peace to my wife to have two rooms transformed from construction sites into bedrooms. I work hard and look to Jesus for help and energy and find I’m NOT THIRSTY for attention and credit at the end of the day. Cindy see’s the completed rooms and sets the kids loose in them to play, goes downstairs and sits in her chair w/ a tall glass of water and tells me what a hard working husband I am. She is FILLED UP with some time with Jesus while the kids play along in their room.
I would love to paraphrase this stuff using words different than HUNGER/EAT and THIRST/DRINK because it’s been so confused, but those are the best words to describe it. Jesus really does meet and continue to meet our every need.