Day 2 - The Bread of Life
"In a culture where the landscape is dotted with shrines to the Golden Arches and an assortment of Pizza Temples, fasting seems out of place, out of step with the times."
Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline
Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline
Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.
John 6.26-27 ESV
Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.
John 6.26-27 ESV
In the Gospel of John, chapter 6, hours after feeding the hungry crowd of 5,000 people, we find one of the most profound (especially during a fast) passages in the Scripture. Jesus declares to us that He is the Bread of Life. This statement is not just a metaphor or a figure of speech, but a profound truth that speaks to the very heart of our existence.
Just as our physical bodies need bread to sustain us, our souls derive nourishment from Jesus.
Without Him, we are left empty and unfulfilled, searching for meaning and purpose in a world that often leaves us hungry and thirsty.
But with Jesus as our Bread of Life, we find that our deepest longings are met. We are fed with the bread of His presence, grace and powerful Holy Spirit.
Just as our physical bodies need bread to sustain us, our souls derive nourishment from Jesus.
Without Him, we are left empty and unfulfilled, searching for meaning and purpose in a world that often leaves us hungry and thirsty.
But with Jesus as our Bread of Life, we find that our deepest longings are met. We are fed with the bread of His presence, grace and powerful Holy Spirit.
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
John 6.35 ESV
John 6.35 ESV
“Therefore, in experiences of fasting we are not so much abstaining from food as we are feasting on the word of God. Fasting is feasting!”
-Richard Foster
Our Prayer Today:
As we fast and feel hunger pains, we thank you for the gift of your Son, who is the Bread of Life. We recognize that just as our physical bodies feel hunger and need bread to sustain us, our spiritual souls need Jesus to give us life.
We pray that you would supply all our needs through Jesus Christ. As we come to Him, we ask that He would fill us with His presence, satisfy us with His Spirit, and nourish us with His Word.
May He be our daily bread, giving us strength for each new day, satisfying our longings and empowering us to live for His Kingdom.
We pray that You would provide for our physical needs, just as You provided manna in the wilderness for Your people. Give us food to eat, water to drink, and shelter from the storms of life. But more than that, Father, we pray that You would provide for our spiritual needs.
We pray that you would supply all our needs through Jesus Christ. As we come to Him, we ask that He would fill us with His presence, satisfy us with His Spirit, and nourish us with His Word.
May He be our daily bread, giving us strength for each new day, satisfying our longings and empowering us to live for His Kingdom.
We pray that You would provide for our physical needs, just as You provided manna in the wilderness for Your people. Give us food to eat, water to drink, and shelter from the storms of life. But more than that, Father, we pray that You would provide for our spiritual needs.