John 6:22-40
“Do not labour for the food which perishes but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the son of man will give you...” John 6:22.
So one late
afternoon Jesus fed five thousand people with just 5 loaves of bread and 2
fishes, many of them ate to their full satisfaction without even thinking about
where the food came from. The next day, Jesus and his disciples had travelled
to Capernaum so the people got into boats and went to Capernaum seeking Jesus.
The human
eyes only see the appearance of man but Jesus seeing their hearts said, “Truly
I say to you, you are seeking me not
because you saw the sign but because you ate the food I gave you and were
filled”.
What a discerner of hearts Jesus is!
The truth is a
lot of us including me; often times in all our seeking, seek after physical
things more than spiritual things. Even when seeking God in prayer. Check you prayer list for clues!
The people
were seeking Jesus, yes, but not for the right reasons. Not because they had
seen the sign or believed that He is the son of God but because their physical
needs was met.
Many of us today do the same and I am particularly guilty of
this (that’s why I’m writing this post). Often times when it comes to our physical
and present needs such as: finding a job,
deciding which career path to pursue, finding that husband/wife, providing food
for family etc we seek God in prayer and do so diligently and rightly. But how
many of us truly seek God for Him? To know Him? What percentage of our prayer requests are
for our spiritual and eternal welfare and that of our family and friends?
I am not
saying that there’s something wrong with praying to God for our physical needs
to be met – no. In fact, countless of times in His Word, He encourages us to
rely on Him for our needs:
Matt 6:11 –
Give us this day our daily bread
Matt 6:31- So
don’t worry about what you shall eat or what you shall drink or wear. For the
pagans run after all these things but your heavenly Father knows that you need
them”
Philippians 4:
6 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
1 Peter 5:7 –
Cast all your cares/anxiety unto him for he cares for you.
But, let us
seek God for God, let us seek that which is eternal and imperishable not just
our present and physical needs. I have been truly guilty like the people in
John 6:22 – seeking Jesus because I ate of the loaves and was filled.
Let us labour
with the strength God gives us but not just for food that will perish but also
for the imperishable things.
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