Oct 07

We may be creatures of eternity, but we live, for the moment, within time. Many people never lift their eyes up to see that they will continue to exist beyond this temporary framework that is built with time, and they live their lives for the moment instead of for eternity.

Jesus warned against holding such a worldview and said that we should not work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life (John 6:27). But what does he mean by this remark? What is food that never spoils but endures to eternal life?

Jesus answered that question in his next words, where he explains that this food of eternal life is himself, food which the Son of Man gives.

Jesus called himself the bread of life (John 6:35), which he gives to the world. The crowd to whom he said this did not understand. They thought they had to do something to earn eternal life.

"What must we do to do the works God requires?" (v. 28).

Jesus corrected this common misunderstanding of the world, that we must do something to merit God's favor. He replied that we cannot do anything, only receive by faith, to "believe in the one he has sent" (v. 29). That is the "work" that must be done.

It is interesting how Jesus worked in a play on words in his reply, for he said that this is "the work of God". The people viewed the work of God as being something God required for them to do. Jesus said that the work of God that they must do was to believe in him. He used the same words as they did, "the work of God", but with a different meaning. Even believing in Jesus is a work of God -- something that God works in the believer through the Holy Spirit, not something we can work up ourselves (Eph. 2:8)

Scripture for today: Ephesians 2:8,9
Thought for today: To believe in Jesus is the work of God.
Prayer for today: Lord God, I thank you for working in me to produce faith in Jesus. Of my own free will I accept what you have given me. I give you all the glory for this.

OCT 07