August 18, 2020 -- John 6:35 -- What can truly satisfy?

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whomever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

John 6:35 English Standard Version

Endless hungers that are unsatisfied and a plaguing thirst that cannot be sated, these are the judgments of God on the wicked. Consider these words “You shall eat, but not be satisfied, and there shall be hunger within you” (Micah 6:14 ESV). You see this in our world around us. Though fortunes are being lost, there are food trends, expensive and crazy.

If you look up food trends, you’ll see all kinds of mash-ups of various cultures and traditional foods—despite the fact that much of the world is hungry. You can read of the newest mixes of drinks, even though countless many lives have been ruined and are being ruined by alcoholism. There is a restless longing hunger and endless thirst for new things. What is fashionable this week becomes so yesterday as this restlessly hungry and bored world seeks rushes in a different direction to fill its hunger in new ways.

In sharp contrast Jesus is the Person in Whom our souls are satisfied. Those who follow Him no longer chase the latest crazy food fad nor move discontentedly and idly from one thing to the next. He is the soul’s great desire, He is the One in Whom our hungers find themselves satisfied. In Him we learn to be content, whatever our circumstances, because He is our soul’s joy and our life’s crowning pleasure.

This is so intimately linked with what we considered yesterday. What is the work the Father has given us to do? It is to believe in Jesus, the One Whom He, the Father, sent. Many of us have spent so much time chasing after pleasures and friends and worldly things that we have trained our tastes for anything other than Jesus and His Word. Little wonder, then, that it is work to taste and see that Jesus truly is the Bread from heaven that satisfies. The restless, bored, thirsty searching which never seems to be satisfied is only ever fully satisfied in Jesus Christ and knowing Him. Truly, it is so sweet to trust in Jesus. Truly it is the most excellent way to take Him at His word and spend our lives learning to believe Him, trust Him, love Him more and more.

Jesus, Your words are familiar to many of us, and almost too simple. How can it be that we can step off the treadmill of endless yearnings and restless unfulfilled longings and find true satisfaction in You? Jesus, send Your Spirit to teach us this way of being filled and delighted in You. Jesus, have Your Spirit so lead us that we are equipped to do the work of believing the Father in heaven sent You and in You our lives find their purpose. Many of us turn unfilled to You again, fill us up, Lord Jesus, so that all our life and hope, all our joy and longings are fixed on You. Amen.