The Bread of Life

“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35, KJV)

Morning Devotion

There is something about the smell of bread baking that stops time. It fills a kitchen with comfort, wraps you in warmth, and whispers, “You are home.”

Maybe that is why Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life. He knew we all come into this world hungry, not just for food, but for meaning, for love, for something that fills the empty places inside.

The crowd He spoke to in John 6 had just seen Him feed five thousand with a few loaves and fish. They were amazed at the miracle, but they missed the message. They came looking for more bread for their bellies, but Jesus offered them bread for their souls.

He told them plainly,

“You are chasing a meal when you could have Me.”

We spend much of life chasing satisfaction. We chase it in careers, possessions, relationships, even religion, always hoping something will finally fill us up. But everything this world serves eventually leaves us hungry again.

Success fades.

People disappoint.

Pleasure dulls.

Money runs out.

Yet when we come to Jesus daily, not just on Sundays, not just in crisis, but every day, He satisfies in a way nothing else can. He does not hand us bread from heaven. He is the Bread from heaven.

A Porch Story

My grandmother used to bake biscuits every Saturday morning. No store-bought roll could ever match those golden, flaky miracles. She would wake before sunrise, humming hymns as flour dusted the counter and the scent of butter filled the house.

As a kid, I thought her biscuits were magic. Now I realize they were ministry.

Grandma’s kitchen was her sanctuary. She fed people’s bodies, but she also fed their hearts, listening, praying, loving, and laughing. Every plate came with a blessing. “Eat up, baby. You cannot serve the Lord on an empty stomach.”

That is true in more ways than one. You cannot serve well, love well, or live well if your spirit is starving. You have to make time to sit at the table with Jesus, to let Him feed you with truth, hope, and grace.

Grandma’s secret was not her recipe. It was her rhythm. She started every day kneading dough and kneeling in prayer. The Bread of Life was her strength before she ever touched an oven.

Feeding on the Word

When Jesus said, “He that cometh to Me shall never hunger,” He was talking about a continual coming, a daily dependence.

Just like your body needs breakfast, your spirit needs time in His Word. The Bible is not a rulebook to study occasionally. It is a table to eat from continually.

Do not rush through it. Do not treat it like a chore. Read until you hear His voice. Sit still long enough for the truth to rise like warm bread in your heart.

I often tell folks, “If the Word does not feed you, you probably just did not chew long enough.”

Read slowly.

Pray honestly.

Listen carefully.

When you finish, carry that nourishment with you into your day.

When Hunger Returns

Even believers sometimes feel spiritually empty. Life gets busy. Worry crowds out worship. The noise of the world drowns the whisper of God.

When that happens, do not condemn yourself. Come back to the table. The Bread of Life never runs out.

He does not scold the hungry. He serves them.

Maybe your soul has been nibbling on junk food, social media, gossip, comparison, distraction. Those things taste good for a moment, but they never sustain. They leave us bloated with anxiety and still craving something real.

Jesus offers what truly satisfies, Himself.

When you have tried everything else and it is still not enough, you will find that He is.

Life Application

Here is a simple challenge. Before your first meal today, whisper this prayer.

“Jesus, You are my Bread of Life. Feed my soul before I feed my body.”

Then spend five minutes reading Scripture or sitting in quiet gratitude before you take that first bite. Let your physical hunger remind you of your spiritual one.

When you are scrolling, driving, or working later today, pause and ask,

“Lord, what are You feeding me right now?”

You will be surprised how often He answers through a verse remembered, a friend’s encouragement, or the beauty of a sunset you almost missed.

A Little Porchside Theology

In the wilderness, God sent manna to feed His people. They could not hoard it. It spoiled overnight. Every morning, they had to gather it fresh.

That is how grace works too. Yesterday’s manna will not carry you through today. You need fresh mercy, fresh presence, fresh bread.

When Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life,” He was announcing that the days of stale religion were over. The living Bread had come down, not to sit on a shelf, but to be broken and shared.

Just like bread must be broken to feed others, so Jesus was broken to give us life.

Prayer

Bread of Life,

Thank You for being the daily nourishment my soul needs.

Forgive me for trying to fill myself with things that do not last.

Teach me to come to You first, to feed on Your Word, and to find my satisfaction in Your presence.

When I am weary, strengthen me.

When I am restless, still me.

When I am hungry for meaning, remind me that You are enough.

Let my life be a loaf that others can taste and see that You are good.

In Your name I pray, Amen.

Reflection Question / Journal Prompt

What “spiritual hunger” do you feel most often, approval, control, comfort, purpose?

Write this in your journal:

“Jesus, You are my Bread of Life. Feed me until I want nothing more than You.”

Then describe one way you will make room at your table for Him this week, maybe a morning quiet time, a walk in prayer, or sharing encouragement with a friend.

Evening Reflection

Manna spoiled when it was hoarded, but it satisfied when it was gathered daily. That is how faith works too.

Each evening, look back over your day and ask, “What fed me today?” Did worry fill your plate, or did peace? Did fear nibble at your joy, or did gratitude keep you full?

The Bread of Life invites you to a rhythm of receiving. Come, eat, live.

Tomorrow’s grace will meet you fresh in the morning, but tonight, rest knowing you have already been fed.

Close your eyes and whisper,

“Lord, thank You for today’s bread.”

If you wake in the night, anxious or restless, picture Jesus breaking bread with you again, reminding your heart that He is near, He is enough, and He will satisfy you forever.

Because when the Bread of Life is your portion, your soul never goes hungry.

There are moments in Scripture when one sentence carries the weight of the world, and John 1:29 is one of them. John looks up, points to Jesus, and says, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Not covers it. Not ignores it. Takes it away.

That means the thing you keep replaying in your mind, the regret that still whispers late at night, the failure you wish you could undo—it was seen, carried, and dealt with at the cross. Jesus didn’t come to shame sinners; He came to save them. He didn’t come with a ledger in His hand, but with grace in His heart.

John didn’t say, “Behold your effort,” or “Behold your improvement.” He said, “Behold the Lamb.” Our hope isn’t in how strong we are, but in how sufficient He is.

So today, lift your eyes. Look again at Jesus. The Lamb of God has already done what you could never do. Walk in that freedom. Breathe in that grace. And live like your sin no longer gets the final word—because it doesn’t