Day 6
John 6:26-27
26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”
Jesus turned five loaves and two fish into enough food to feed 5,000, but look at how the crowd engaged with Jesus in the aftermath of that encounter. In Verse 26, Jesus calls out the crowd for seeking him for the wrong reasons. It’s important to understand that these Israelites lived under the Roman occupation. They were heavily taxed, and their life was difficult, so when they saw a man who could pull an abundance of food out of thin air, they wanted more. They cared about an abundant life now more than eternal life forever. God wants to prosper us on earth, but seeking the Kingdom first is the prerequisite for receiving that flourishing life. Many of us are like the crowd. After we see what God can do, we’re not so interested in seeing who he is. But intimacy with God is not about using him to get what you want; it is about seeking his heart to discover what he wants. “Not my will, but yours be done.” That’s what Jesus said to God the Father in the garden of Gethsemane. He gives us the perfect model of intimacy. When you only seek God for what he can give you, the disappointment of not receiving what you expect makes you pull away. You are led in and out of his presence by your emotions. You can never have true intimacy because you are not consistent enough to experience it. How would you feel if you were in a relationship with someone who only wanted to take from you? It would be impossible to develop intimacy because they’d never actually take the time to get to know who you are as a person. Without knowledge, there can be no intimacy. It’s not just your seek that matters. It’s the motivation behind it. What are you looking for? That is what you will find. The hand of God may open a door, but it is only the presence of God that can sustain you once you walk inside. So seek God for God. If you’re only looking for things that make your flesh feel good (even if it’s worship music that feels a certain way or an intellectually stimulating sermon), then all you’ll find is bread that satisfies the flesh and leaves the soul hungry. But when you seek after the bread of life, you will find the only one that satisfies all of you—spirit, soul, and body.
Next Steps
Read John chapter 6 and take notes, making observations and asking questions as you read.
Mediate on 1 or 2 verses that stood out to you. Focus on what they reveal about God and how the Spirit is inviting you to respond. Find a helpful guide to biblical meditation here.
Write down whatever the Holy Spirit puts on your heart.
Reflection Questions
In what ways have I been looking for what I can get from God instead of looking for a revelation of who he is?
God is doing a million little miracles all around us every day but often times we miss it. We’re so busy looking for the spectacular that we miss out on the supernatural. What ways may you have missed God because you were expecting him to move in a certain way? How can you practice on who Jesus is and not just what he can do?
What would it look like for you to submit to the will of God even when things don’t go your way?
Prayer Points
Lord, I don’t just want to know what you can do; I want to know who you are. Please show me your heart.
Lord, don’t let me get so focused on your hand that I miss your face. Help me not to be so obsessed with your power that I miss your presence.
Lord, purify my motives. Help me to seek your kingdom over my own agenda.
