Bread of life
Day 397, Friday, Sept. 12
John 6:25 – 7:24
Just as Jesus is the water of life and the word of life, he is also the bread of life: that which nourishes our souls.
“For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
“‘Sir,’ they said, ‘always give us this bread.’
“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’”
While these teaches come well before the account of the Last Supper, words later in chapter 6 tie the bread teaching to Communion. Beginning in verse 53 we read:
“Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.’”

-Rev. Mark Fleming

Friday meditation

Job 33:23-35
Yet if there is an angel at their side, a messenger, one out of a thousand, sent to tell them how to be upright, and he is gracious to that person and says to God, ‘Spare them from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for them—let their flesh be renewed like a child’s; let them be restored as in the days of their youth’—then that person can pray to God and find favor with him, they will see God’s face and shout for joy; he will restore them to full well-being. And they will go to others and say, ‘I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved. God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’
“God does all these things to a person—twice, even three times—to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them.
“Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want to vindicate you. But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Prayer focus
As we are nourished by your body and blood, let us indeed be your body, redeemed by your blood.