John 6:26-27
"Just as the Living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven."
(John 6:57-58)
"Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God'."
(John 6:68-69)
I recently read this sixth chapter in John's Gospel again and was struck anew by the motivation that drew the crowds to Jesus on the one hand and caused many of his followers to turn their backs on him shortly afterwards. It's amazing how quickly life can slip into that mode where God is only relevant to the degree that He is willing to fulfill my needs and expectations. And the focus is predominantly on those "things that spoil" - financial needs, health concerns, job related issues, the next vacation.
How often am I fed where it truly matters? What is my main motivation in life? Are Jesus' words still source of my strength and inspiration?
Sometimes a startling question like, "Do you want to go away as well?" (V.67) is needed to shake me and wake me up out of my complacency and routines. Do I want to leave Jesus? Could I live without Him and His word? And then it becomes so clear and apparent how deeply I am attached, not because of an inherited faith I've become accustomed to but because of the lasting impression He has made on me.
There's too much history we have together that I could ever deny Him. There's no other value that could ever come close. There's nothing that speaks to me like His word does.
Where else or to whom else would I go? There's no other place, no other person who could ever take His place!
