Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

John 6:27-35

This passage follows two miraculous accounts - the feeding of the 5000 and Jesus walking on the water to enter the fishing boat and cross to another area.  The crowd that had been fed realized Jesus had mysteriously got from one shore to the other and want him to explain:  “How did you do that?”  Jesus answers that they are not responding to him out of a recognition of God being among them (and wanting God) but because they like the miraculous being looked after (food for free!)  (John 6: 1 - 26)

So Jesus goes on to tell them to look for real security not in the necessities of this physical life (food that perishes), but to seek eternal security.  He says that they need to commit themselves to him in order to get in on God’s works. They reply: “Why don’t you give us a clue about who you are, just a hint of what’s going on?  When we see what’s up, we’ll commit ourselves.” (John 6: 30-31)

What is that like for me now?  In many places in the world, lack of daily food is a very real issue, so like the people of Jesus’s time, knowing someone who could feed a crowd from 5 loaves of bread and two small fish would certainly give a feeling of security.  In other places, the promise of water would do it.  In our situation, both food and water are plentiful and available.  So what makes us nervous about the future?  Financial resources to provide what we feel/know we need for the years ahead (retirement).  A health care system that will be able to look after us when we get sick, age, become dependent.  Our concern about those things might make us anxious, might sometimes make us reluctant to use our “limited” resources to help those in immediate need.  

I think Jesus is telling me here not to pin my hopes and put my faith in the way the world economy works.  That is not where God’s action with us is to be found.  We too are afraid to commit ourselves, the risks are so high and the consequences of wrong choices look so grim.  That anxiety can be crippling and take so much time and energy away from really living the life God offers.  He says that He is the real, the eternal security that I need and really long for. (I am the bread of life.)

I know God is not asking me to be irresponsible with the resources I’ve been given, but rather the use them wisely and to seek first Him and the life He offers.  I need to keep my priorities straight.  First things first. 

Easy to say, often hard to do.

Blessings

Ann Kelland