Devotion:
Read John 6:35.
This is the first of Jesus’ “I am” sayings in this Gospel. By describing himself this way, he is equating himself with God. This goes all the way back to the story in the book of Exodus when God was calling Moses to go to Egypt and confront the Pharaoh about letting God’s people go. Moses anticipated that when he got to Egypt and went to the leaders of Israel, they would ask for the name of the God who had sent him to do this. So Moses asked God for his name. And God said “Tell them ‘I am’ sent you.” So here in this Gospel, several times Jesus describes himself and each time begins the description with “I am.” John includes these descriptions by Jesus to further emphasize what he wrote in the first few verses of his Gospel book.
In this case, Jesus says “I am the bread of life.” In many cultures, some form of bread is the foundational element of their diet. It is at the core of keeping humans alive and nourished. So this is such a fitting analogy for who Jesus is for the world. He is that foundational resource for us, keeping us spiritually alive and nourished. When we receive the nourishment he offers as the Word of God, we will never be hungry. As Christians reflect on this, we cannot help but think of the bread we eat at the Communion meal. Jesus says to us in that meal “Take; eat. This is my body, given for you.” Be reminded this day of your primary source of nourishment and life: the One who says “I am the bread of life.”
Personal Worship Option:
The next time you have some bread to eat, give thanks to God for the gift of Jesus Christ to be our “bread of life.”
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