Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.
Mark 7:36

Something Better

Daily Devotion – September 14, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 7:36

See series: Devotions

In a world caught up in self-promotion, one might wonder why Jesus said, “Don’t tell anyone,” After he healed a deaf man. Why not spread his message? Why not let everyone be amazed at his power to heal? Why not give the people what they really wanted? Jesus gave the command because he wanted to give the people something better.

It is easy to want Jesus to be something he isn’t. It is just as easy to make him into something he never came to be. Jesus did not come into this world to make our earthly life easier. He came to provide rescue and relief from the burden of sin.

It is tempting to make Jesus into a physician, healing sickness. It is just as tempting to make Jesus into a counselor, resolving personal problems. It is tempting to make Jesus into whatever we want him to be, making life better. There is only one problem. If Jesus didn’t perform to the level of our desire, we would eventually have little use for him.

So, it is important to understand that Jesus came into the world to give us something better. He came to give us forgiveness and free us from the burden of sin’s guilt. He came to offer his life to rescue us from the punishment of death and offer hope. This is what we desperately need, and what Jesus graciously offers.

Jesus proclaimed his reason for coming into this world. It was “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). Unfortunately, many reject Jesus because he doesn’t live up to their expectations. The Bible leads us to know Jesus and rely on him for what he came to do. When we trust Jesus as our Savior from sin and death, we really do have something better.

Prayer:
O dearest Jesus, I come to you looking for relief and rescue. Give me the perfect help and healing you came to provide. Forgive my sins. Release me from the fear of death. Bless me with the hope of life in heaven. Amen

Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
Isaiah 35:4

Be Strong, Do Not Fear

Daily Devotion – September 12, 2024

Devotion based on Isaiah 35:4

See series: Devotions

Around the year A.D. 156, a man named Polycarp was arrested during a time of Christian persecution. He was the leader of the church in Smyrna. His arrestors urged him to renounce Christ and to make a small offering to the Roman Caesar. They didn’t want to see this old man put to death. In their minds, they were asking a small thing.

“Curse Christ, and you will live!” said the Roman ruler. But Polycarp remained steadfast. “Eighty and six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” Polycarp replied.

Astonished and incensed, the Roman ruler threatened to burn Polycarp to death. Polycarp replied that his fire would last an hour, but the fires of hell would last an eternity. And with that, Polycarp was burned at the stake.

Through it all, Polycarp’s faith did not waver. He was not afraid of what men would do to him. Why? Because he knew God had come. Polycarp knew Jesus had already saved him from something far worse. Without fear or trembling, Polycarp stood firm to the end.

Over and over again, God tells his people not to be afraid. The reminder is necessary because people are sinners who deserve the wrath of God. And yet, God shows that he is not eager to punish or to threaten and terrify. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Instead, he wants to bring peace and hope, forgiveness and life.

That’s why God sent Jesus to save you. He sent Jesus to take away your guilt and shame that causes you to fear God’s wrath. Jesus tells you to be strong and not fear because he has made things right between you and God.

No matter what trials and temptations you face, you can be strong and not fear. Your God is on your side. Jesus has come, and he has saved you.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you are with me in every situation. Give me courage to stand firm in my faith no matter what. Amen.

After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
Mark 7:33-35

Jesus’ Personal Touch

Daily Devotion – September 10, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 7:33-35

See series: Devotions

We don’t know if the deaf man brought before Jesus knew who Jesus was, but Jesus knew him. And Jesus knew exactly what that man needed. The first miracle Jesus performed was getting the deaf man away from the crowd. Then, very lovingly and gently, Jesus showed the man what he would do for him. He touched the man’s deaf ears and mute tongue. And then he looked up and sighed. How many times had that deaf and mute man done the same thing out of frustration from not being able to communicate? Jesus showed his love, compassion, and understanding.

With one word, “Ephphatha!” Jesus opened the man’s ears to hear and loosened his tongue to speak. Jesus gave the man not just hearing and speaking but vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. His opened ears meant he could hear the call to repentance and the voice of Jesus teaching about the kingdom of God and the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ miracle didn’t just change this man’s life, but his eternity. Jesus took the time to meet his individual needs.

Jesus knows exactly what you are feeling and going through, too. He knows your needs and desires. He knows your pain and weaknesses. He sighs with you. And Jesus comes to you the same way he came to that deaf man, through his Word.

The powerful word Jesus used to heal this man is the same powerful Word in the Bible. Through this Word, Jesus opens spiritually deaf ears to hear life-giving forgiveness of sins. Through this Word, Jesus resurrects spiritually dead hearts to a new life of faith and brings comfort and peace.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for coming to me in your Word. Amen.

Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Isaiah 35:4-6

Welcome Changes

Daily Devotion – September 8, 2024

Devotion based on Isaiah 35:4-6

See series: Devotions

Have you ever met one of those people who can brighten up every room they enter? If the conversation is dull, they liven it up. If everyone is gloomy, they bring cheer. If the mood is tense, they replace it with calm. Such welcome changes! Their arrival makes you want to shout for joy!

The scene Isaiah describes in his prophecy is not that much different. Only Isaiah is not describing a friend who will come to brighten up a room, he is describing our God who “will come to save you.” And what welcome changes this Savior brings! Isaiah prophesied that at our Savior’s arrival, he would open the eyes of the blind; he would unstop the ears of the deaf; he would make the lame leap like a deer; he would cause the mute tongue to shout for joy. When Jesus, our Savior, appeared in this world, he did just that. His miracles made so many shouts for joy.

But in reality, such miracles only served as a taste of a greater joy. Our Savior did not just come to save a few select individuals from their physical problems. He came to save the entire world from our spiritual problem—our spiritual problem of sin. We were spiritually crippled by our wickedness, but Jesus has healed us through the perfect life and innocent death that he accomplished in our place. Because of what he did, we will one day see our God face to face and walk in his holy presence forever.

What welcome changes the Savior brings. Your God has come to save you. Shout for joy!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, fill my heart with shouts of joy as I ponder the depth of your love for me and all people. Amen.

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 4:9

A Heart That Remembers

Daily Devotion – September 6, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:9

See series: Devotions

“Don’t forget!” A child needs to be reminded to do his chores because he easily forgets. But he doesn’t forget that his parents promised to buy him a treat next time the ice cream truck comes by. We’re more eager to remember the things we want and quicker to forget things that seem like chores.

God was telling his people not to forget what their eyes have seen and not let them fade from their hearts. What had they seen? They had seen God rescue them from Egypt, and he was about to bring them into the Promised Land. Don’t forget! And don’t just know it; take it to heart! Years later, God would deliver us and all people in a greater way. He sent his Son, Jesus, to save us and the world from sin. Though we did not see Jesus die in our place and though we did not see his empty tomb as a sign of a promise kept, God grants us faith to know and believe that he did! He makes those blessings of salvation personally ours in baptism—what Jesus did, he did for you!

Don’t forget! Don’t forget how much your Savior loves you. Don’t forget all that he’s done for you. Don’t forget his Word that guides you through life. Don’t forget. How could we? When we grow to love and depend on something so vital, how could we forget. The more we listen to our Savior’s words, the more we appreciate what he has done. It’s not a chore. It’s a relief! We remember and take to heart Jesus and his Word. The Spirit is at work in the Word to give us a heart that truly remembers and personally takes to heart all that our Savior has done. God grants us hearts to cling to his promises as we walk through this life on our way to heaven, the Promised Land.

Prayer:
Lord, strengthen my faith to remember and take to heart all that you have done and equip me to teach the next generation. Amen.

Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
Deuteronomy 4:1,2

A Heart That Trusts

Daily Devotion – September 4, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:1,2

See series: Devotions

I like to cook, but I don’t always like to follow recipes. Sometimes, I leave out a key ingredient or substitute a more common one. Other times, I add a twist. Sometimes it works. Sometimes, it’s a disaster.

Adding our own flavor and interpretation to God’s Word, substituting an idea that’s more common today, taking away things we find unappetizing, or adding our own twist to make it more palatable is a recipe for disaster. Taking away something can take away the comfort we have in Jesus! Adding something can add a burden of guilt and uncertainty.

That’s why God’s Word comes with a warning—do not add or subtract. That would be a recipe for disaster. He gives this warning because he wants what’s best for us. “Just trust me!” God says. Trust the words that God has spoken. Trust that he knows what is best for us because he designed and created us to live as his children. Trust that he knows how best to bless and meet our spiritual needs because he became human, walked in our shoes, and then died to save us. Trust his royal decree that declares us forgiven and made holy because of Jesus.

Rather than being cooks in the kitchen trying to concoct our own philosophies and teachings, God invites us to feast on his every word. He invites us to sit at his table and feeds us all that our souls need. He feeds us free of charge because Jesus has picked up the tab. We savor every morsel of God’s Word because it nourishes our souls and satisfies us like nothing else. We follow him with a heart that trusts every word that he speaks.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the price you paid and giving me an endless serving of your grace. Amen.

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.
Romans 9:30-32

A Restless Heart

Daily Devotion – September 2, 2024

Devotion based on Romans 9:30-32

See series: Devotions

Two children carry out the same chores around the house. They abide by the same rules and curfews. For one child, it’s grueling. From his perspective, it sucks the joy out of life. He can’t wait to move out, but meanwhile, he grins and bears it and does what is expected. The other child enjoys the blessings of a safe home, three square meals, and loving parents. He keeps the same rules, but it doesn’t seem to be a burden. He sees it as a reasonable expectation and a blessing to have parents that care that much.

They keep the same rules, but they have very different attitudes. This illustration really describes Christians just before and after becoming Christians. Before they became a child of God, they knew to some extent the basic rules—don’t murder, don’t steal, be kind, speak positively. However, apart from Jesus, these seem more of a burden than a blessing. Even now, at times, their hearts trend back to a natural way of thinking. If they think it depends on their work of keeping the rules to be right with God (that’s what righteousness means), then it becomes a burden too heavy to carry. Their hearts become restless and ragged. How can they ever know if they’ve done enough? How can they ever do enough? They can’t, but Jesus, our Savior, has!

God, our Father, has forgiven their sins and made them his children not because of their works but because of his great love. This changes everything. God lifted the burden too heavy for any of us to carry. He declared us righteous (right with him) by grace, through faith, and not by works. It’s this love that gives people a new perspective. They follow their Savior from the heart because they see that they are loved and provided for by a gracious God. Their hearts find rest in him!

Prayer:
Lord, my heart was restless until I found my rest in your loving forgiveness. Amen.

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
John 6:66-68

The Words of Eternal Life

Daily Devotion – Augusts 31, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:66-68

See series: Devotions

During the Revolutionary War, Ethan Allen made a name for himself as a capable colonel and the leader of the Green Mountain Boys. He was also widely known as a religious skeptic who had no use for the Christian faith. Allen’s wife, on the other hand, was a devout believer and taught their daughter about Jesus as the one who loves and saves sinners. It happened that the daughter fell seriously ill, and her father was summoned to her bedside. As the girl was nearing death, she took his hand and asked, “Father, should I believe what you have taught me or what I have learned from my mother?” The long moment of silence after her question must have felt like an eternity. Her father finally found his voice to say, “My child, believe what your mother has taught you.”

In the twists and turns of life, we can fool ourselves into thinking that there are any number of paths we can take and that any road will do. But when we are finally forced to face our end, with the prospect of where we will spend eternity, our viable options begin to dwindle very quickly. How will we stand before the Almighty on the great day of judgment? How can we hope to enter paradise when we have angered our Maker with our selfish deeds and self-centered lifestyles?

When we are faced with the reality that we, too, will one day die, we cannot ignore the question: “Where will you go? Whom will you follow?” May we, like Peter, answer, “I believe that Jesus has the words of eternal life. I believe that Jesus is eternal life.” His death for sinners has paid our debt. His rising from the grave assures us of God’s love. His word promises us forgiveness. Who else can give us these blessings but the eternal Son of God?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, keep my eyes and heart fixed on you through your Word. I have nowhere else to turn for blessings today and for salvation in eternity. Amen.

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 6:28,29

Presupposition

Daily Devotion – August 29, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:28,29

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Harry Houdini is, perhaps, the most famous magician of all time. As a magician, he knew the power of using people’s presuppositions to pull off magic tricks and great escapes. Even he, however, came to realize that his own presuppositions could mislead him. Houdini was on a European tour, and he came to Scotland. To promote his upcoming show, he asked local law enforcement shackle him and place him in a jail cell. The jailer did so, then left Houdini alone. Promptly, Houdini removed the shackles without a bit of trouble. Then he went to work on the jail cell door. This lock, however, did not respond. He tried all his usual methods. But no matter what he did, the workings of this lock refused to tumble.

Finally, feeling frustrated, Houdini leaned back against the door—and the door swung wide open. Only then did he realize his presupposition. Laboring to pick the lock, he had presumed that there was a lock to pick. The reality was that the jailer had never locked the door.

You and I, by nature, hold a presupposition, too. However, ours has far greater consequences than keeping us inside a jail cell. You and I presume that we can saunter into God’s presence just as we are. Oh, sure, we want to do what we can to live decent lives, but as long as we do that, everything between us and God should be just fine.

That is a deadly presupposition. It presumes that my sin is not serious. It presumes I can do what God requires to make up for any wrong I have done.

But such a presupposition does nothing about my sin. It will lead me to eternal separation from God, for the answer is not in me. The answer is Jesus. It is the perfect life he’s lived in my place. It is the death he died to wash me clean. He alone opens my jail cell. In him alone am I free.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive my sinful presuppositions. Cleanse me in your blood. Move me to rest in you alone. Amen.

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us.
1 Corinthians 10:11

Entitlement

Daily Devotion – August 27, 2024

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 10:11

See series: Devotions

A website called verywellmind.com has published an article that may help you determine whether someone you know has a toxic sense of entitlement. According to the article, symptoms may include the following: High demands (regardless of what they have, they presume they deserve more); Melodrama (a strong reaction when things don’t go their way); Lack of gratitude (expressing appreciation for what they have simply does not occur to them); Victim mentality (they feel that something bad is always happening to them).

But here’s the sobering side of this article. When I apply these symptoms to my attitude toward God, I wince. My old sinful self can often ooze with a sense of entitlement. It’s easy for me to presume that I deserve more. It’s easy for me to harbor strong resentment when things don’t go my way. It’s easy for me not to consider expressing appreciation for what I already have. And oh, it is so easy for me to play the victim—blaming people, circumstances, and even God when my life is not rolling along as I insist it should.

In the Old Testament, God records how he cared for his people as they traveled through a barren wilderness. He gave them enough to eat and drink. He faithfully fulfilled their needs. And yet, their sinful sense of entitlement led them to resentment and rebellion towards God—the very one who could give them life.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 10, the apostle Paul tells us that God recorded these events with us in mind. Through these tragic accounts of calloused entitlement, the Lord wishes to give a warning to you and me—a warning that radiates with love. In love, he calls upon me to consider all that I possess from a lavish, generous God. In love, he calls upon me to identify the sinful sense of entitlement when it sprouts in my own heart. In love, he calls me to repentance and invites me to be refreshed in the forgiveness Jesus has purchased for me.

Prayer:
Lord, I come to you in repentance for my sense of entitlement. Wash me clean. Fill me with thankfulness all over again. Amen.

“If serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:15

Choices

Daily Devotion – August 25, 2024

Devotion based on Joshua 24:15

See series: Devotions

Life is full of choices. Isn’t it? What to eat? What to wear? Where to go? What to do? Everywhere we turn, we’re faced with choices. Sometimes, the choices are clear; other times, not so much. Sometimes, we’re choosing between two good things. Other times, it seems like we’re choosing between the lesser of two evils.

Today, we’re presented with another choice. It isn’t a choice of whether or not to believe in God. The choice is this: whom are we going to serve?

When we don’t like to make choices, we try to delay them until the last possible moment, or perhaps, try not to choose at all. It seems easier, instead of choosing, to try to stay right in the middle and be neutral. However, when it comes to choosing between serving God and serving things or people opposed to God, there’s no middle ground. We can’t be neutral. We’re either on God’s side or not.

So, whom are you going to serve: The world or the Lord? The world promises pleasure and happiness but often disappoints and never truly satisfies. The Lord never disappoints and always satisfies. The world doesn’t care if you get hurt along the way. The Lord cared so much that he sent his Son, Jesus, to die in your place. The world can only offer temporary gifts. The Lord’s gifts last into eternity.

Every day, God places this choice before us. So, whom are we going to serve? Lord willing, we will answer as Joshua did, “As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Prayer:
Lord God, you give me the opportunity to serve you as a way to thank you for all you’ve done. Help me every day to choose to serve you with all of my heart and mind. Amen.

[Jesus] saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Mark 6:48-50

Take Courage

Daily Devotion – August 23, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 6:48-50

See series: Devotions

Life is exhausting. We spend so many hours working to provide for our families or trying to pay off debt. We race around to all the various activities and commitments the family has during the week. We stress about everything from money to time and our health. We try so hard to do our best, but inevitably, we find ourselves overstretched and worn out. We feel alone and isolated. We feel like we are rowing against the storm and not making any headway.

What impact does this all have on our thinking? When life piles on and we are overwhelmed, we don’t think clearly. We make false assumptions. We believe wrong things about God: we believe he is distant, that he isn’t there at all, that he is someone or something different than he actually is. In their moment of stress and isolation, the disciples mistakenly assumed that Jesus was a ghost. Rather than looking to him as someone to trust and reach out to, in their exhaustion, they mistook him to be someone they should fear.

In moments like this, Jesus comes to us just as he did to them. He says: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” Take heart, for the One who walks on water and controls the storms. is the same One who is in control of your life. This One is none other than our Savior, Jesus, who lived and died and rose again for us to conquer sin, death, and hell. In doing this important work, Jesus forgives our sins and gives us heaven. He makes us God’s children through faith. He has ascended into heaven and is ruling all things for our good. He is in control. The Lord is with us whether we think so or not.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, be with me always. Protect me and save me. Amen.

At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the Lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.
2 Timothy 4:16-18

God Will Rescue You

Daily Devotion – August 21, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Timothy 4:16-18

See series: Devotions

You thought you were a team. You thought you were all in this together. You thought that you would all support each other through thick and thin. And then someone went and broke that trust. Maybe your spouse did not take your side in a dispute with an acquaintance. Perhaps your teammate didn’t stick up for you when the coach wrongfully called you out for something you didn’t do. Or maybe your associate didn’t put in a kind word for you when you were trying for the promotion at work. Whenever people fail us, it is discouraging and demoralizing.

The apostle Paul experienced something similar when he was on trial for preaching and teaching about Jesus. There, he was on trial before the Roman Emperor—the most powerful man in the world—and no one came to his aid. His friends weren’t there to encourage him. His co-workers were not present to speak on his behalf. No one stepped forward to defend him.

Jesus knew all about that. He, too, was arrested and put on trial and was led to the cross, where he was put to death for sins he did not commit. And where were his friends through it all? One betrayed him. Another denied him. The rest fled for their lives and left him to fend for himself. But Jesus stayed the course and endured it all so we could be saved and assured of a place in his heavenly kingdom. Through faith in Jesus, heaven is yours. And in the meantime, whatever you are dealing with, God will rescue you like he did Paul. The Lord is with you, even when it seems like no one else is.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for never leaving me or forsaking me. When others fail, comfort me with the promise that you never will. Amen.

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my Lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
2 Kings 6:15-17

Loving Protection

Daily Devotion – August 19, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Kings 6:15-17

See series: Devotions

“Oh no, my Lord!” Have you ever felt surrounded? Have you ever taken a look around and seen so many things stacked against you—things that were so overwhelming that you instantly were filled with fear and cried out to God or anyone who would listen? Like the man in our Bible reading today, we can feel cornered. We can feel so overwhelmed by all the circumstances stacked against us.

Perhaps you woke up one morning to find yourself surrounded by a host of difficulties: the creditors were lining up to collect overdue payments; the medical tests kept coming back positive for various health issues; the text updates from family members kept informing you that your loved one’s condition is worsening by the minute; and the guilt from what you did or said kept getting heavier. We feel surrounded by trouble, and we, too, are led to cry out: “Oh no, my Lord!”

In such times, God seeks to open our eyes. The man in our Bible reading today was enabled to see angels all around him, keeping him safe. We may not see those same angels with our physical eyes, but God wants us to know they are there. More than that, he wants us to see Jesus. To see our Savior who died for us to take our sins away and who lives to make us his own and to keep us safe. Our Savior, Jesus, is alive and is constantly watching over us. He will keep his promise and send his angels to guard us in all our ways.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, when I feel surrounded by the troubles in life, help me to see with the eyes of faith. Help me to trust in the loving protection that you provide. Amen.

Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
John 6:35

The Bread of Life

Daily Devotion – August 17, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:35

See series: Devotions

In our lives, there is a constant tension between the physical and the spiritual. Some say physical is for the body, and spiritual is for the soul. Others say that our physical natures are concerned with current matters, but our spiritual natures look to the future. Jesus’ encouragement was not to work for food that spoils but to work for food that endures to eternal life—spiritual things.

All of us, by nature, care more about physical things than spiritual things. In Jesus’ ministry, individuals came to him looking for help with physical concerns. Some of them wanted food or to be healed of different diseases. Others looked to Jesus to help their friends or family members. Jesus was happy to help.

The problem was that many individuals came to Jesus caring only for their physical needs. They wanted him to be a Savior who would make this world a better place. They didn’t even consider the world that was yet to come. They tried to fill their physical needs but didn’t consider their spiritual needs. We can do the same thing. If we think Jesus is only a God who will help us pay the rent or mortgage, buy groceries, and maybe get the car we want, we don’t understand his true purpose for coming to the world.

Jesus’ mission was a spiritual one. By coming to this world as true God and true man, Jesus began his work as our Savior. He lived a perfect life and gave his life to pay for our sins. He rose from the dead as proof that God has forgiven us. Now, he offers us every spiritual gift we need and forgiveness for the times we have done wrong. He offers God’s love even when we don’t deserve it.

God has made you both a physical and spiritual being. Remember that Jesus is truly the “Bread of Life” who takes care of every need that you have.

Prayer:
Jesus, Bread of Life, I praise you for answering all my spiritual needs. Keep me from worrying about the physical needs that I have in life, confident that according to your good will for me, you will answer them, too. Amen.