Thoughts for the Day

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for 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 for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

In this passage from John's Gospel the people have followed Jesus after the feeding of the five thousand. They are looking for more food to eat, but he challenges them to look beyond their physical needs to their spiritual needs. The people call him 'Rabbi', meaning 'master' or 'teacher', but he speaks of himself as the 'Son of Man' with its connotations to the book of Daniel and its subtle reference to the Messiah who will come to save God's people.

Recently, I was asked to produce a 'wet signature' - not come across the term before? Well it refers to a signature by pen, rather than one produced by the computer. In the past sealing wax and a stamp, often in the form of a signet ring, gave a document official status and the bearer of it, authority. Jesus says that God the Father has set His seal on the Son who acts as His emissary or representative on earth.

At the moment we are concerned about many things, but we need to lift our eyes from these, to give attention to our spiritual health. We are both physical and spiritual beings, and as we need food for our bodies to thrive, so we need food spiritually. This is about searching for God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who can feed our souls and from whom we can learn about real love and truth.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You call us to follow You,
to learn from You,
and to grow spiritually.
Help us not to put all our efforts
into the things of this world,
but to spend time growing closer to You
through study of Your words,
and in quiet time in prayer.
Amen.