October 18 – John 6

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from John 6. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Jesus has just feed five thousand men plus women and children with two fish and five loaves of bread. This is the same story that we experienced yesterday in the other three gospels. After the feeding, the next morning the crowds wake up to find that Jesus and his disciples are not there. Now they know how the disciples got across, they saw them leave by boat. But Jesus went up on the hillside to pray. It was during the night that Jesus walked to them on the water. They are surprised and perplexed as to how Jesus beat them to that side of the sea.

Jesus knows what’s on their minds when they show up … “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” (John 6:26-27 NLT). They come wanting what Jesus can give them. They do not necessarily want a relationship with Him. They are focused on here and now not the eternal life He has come to provide.

How much are we like them? Examine your prayer life; is it full of request for the here and now or does it encompass a broader spectrum of your relationship with Christ? We live in the here and now. We have aches and pains, broken hearts, and real physical needs. There is an element to our relationship with God that we trust He will provide and care for us. But our relationship with Christ should be much deeper and broader than just the physical needs of our life. We have been promised eternal life with God through Jesus. Cherish that each and every day!