John 6:35
Naomi and I enjoy going to Texas Roadhouse for special occasions, unless I can convince her to get Sushi or Mongolian BBQ. When we go to Texas Roadhouse, we order with the intention of enjoying our main course, but then the yeast rolls arrive. More often than not we enjoy the rolls and aren’t as hungry as we thought when our steaks make it to the table. As a proud member of the clean plate club I can say that even though the rolls are delicious and plentiful, I have never taken my steak home.
Our times at Texas Roadhouse are to enjoy together, time to talk and reflect upon life and dream of what is to come. We strategize and plan our next steps so that the goals we set can be achieved. We take time to pray and lay our plans in God’s hands, trusting Him to meet our needs. We recognize that Jesus is the one that fills us with God’s best; not necessarily what we want, but what we need to follow Him.
Throughout the Gospel of John Jesus makes statements about who He really is. He identifies Himself with God by starting His comments with the statement, “I AM.” Jesus does this seven times through John’s gospel, the first time He proclaims that, “I AM the bread of life” in John 6:35.
Jesus had just fed 5,000 people, healed many and taught on the mountainside. He sent the disciples out on a boat and walked on water after praying. The next morning the people sought out Jesus again, they went from town to town looking for Him. When they find Him they ask for a sign, as if the day before hadn’t counted. They wanted bellies full, hurts healed and a leader to bring them out of subservience to Rome. These wants are all good things, but God has something better, He wants to meet our needs.
Our stomachs will need filling tomorrow, we develop new hurts just by living and while we may not be in physical bondage, we struggle with sin. What we need is to be filled with Jesus and granted eternal life in Him. As we seek to develop our faith we spend more time reading God’s word, in prayer and serving others; we will turn our wants to Jesus and He gives us what we need, salvation, forgiveness and eternal life.
God’s plan is greater than our own, He gives us exactly what we need to be faithful followers of His. He desires to give us what we need for the day as well as for all eternity. He is the bread sent from heaven to sustain us in this life as we journey in faith to the promised land of heaven. Praise God for His provision of our needs.