Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked. So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”
John 6:48-58

Dear God, there are things in life that, if we are submitted to you, bring us to our knees. Challenges draw me closer to you while good times tempt me to drift into my own sense of security in myself. Using Jesus’s analogy here, you are true nourishment while feeding myself on good times and my own sense of false security is like eating only desserts. There is not nutritional value in putting faith in my own wisdom.

Of course, this is all tying together with the verses I’ve prayed over the last few days. They are the verses for Sunday, August 15, in the Presbyterian church, and I’ll be preaching that day so I thought I would see what’s there. You as my daily bread nourishing me with wisdom seems to be there. Solomon losing you as his daily bread and filling his life with power, wealth and women was all empty calories that ultimately led to his decent into corruption and evil.

I’ve had some solid challenges at work this week that I’ve certainly felt the need to bring to you in prayer. and I feel like you’re answering them. Thank you. I have challenges in my personal life that need your intervention, power and guidance. I need your nourishment and fruit from your Holy Spirit to get me through. I need you.

Father, give me this day my daily bread. Help me to keep from being tempted to leave you. Keep me from the evil in my own heart or that is out there waiting to devour me. Let your kingdom come and your will be done in and through my life and in the world. You are my God. I worship you alone.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen