City Life Starter

Written by Nate Warren

The Word

This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

John 6:58 (NIV)

3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. …

16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

Deuteronomy 8:3-4, 16-18

Reflection

After the exodus from Egypt, God prevented the Israelites from entering the land that God promised to them for an entire generation because of their rebellion. He was, however, merciful to them by providing food for each day in the form of manna. This edible substance coated the desert floor like dew in the morning, and spoiled by the end of the day. Apparently, this was quite the superfood, as while they roamed the desert for forty years, their feet remained strong and their clothes didn’t wear out. That’s some special bread!

Fast forward a few thousand years. A day before, Jesus had fed thousands from what seemed like nothing. This crowd had never seen so many people eat at one time, much less without piles of ingredients and a large fire. Now that they knew that Jesus could make a whole lot of something out of nothing, they knew He was their ticket to wealth and power. They try to “make” Him king. They’re planning the Israeli Empire. He calls their bluff.

Application

Jesus makes it clear – He is the manna in our midst, sent down from the heavens. He gives life to all who feast on Him, but this bread and it’s life never spoils or fades. That is worth more than the wealth and power of all the empires.

When we make effort to abide with Jesus, we somehow take Jesus into ourselves. His resurrected life then resides in us, and propels us into the very presence of God the Father (Eph 2:18).

Take time, today, to abide with Jesus. 

Prayer

Jesus, May we “taste and see that the LORD is good.” (Psalm 34:8)

Amen