Last week we talked about MREs and the spiritual food that Jesus gives us, which are his promises. An MRE was given to me a few months ago. I was at an army post, and a soldier invited me to go out to gunnery with his battalion. He arranged that with legal and made it all good.

We were able to go out there for nighttime gunnery, which was amazing. I was given an MRE, which was going to be my food for the night. Unfortunately, we just never had time to break it open and cook it up and eat it because we were so busy with the mission. And by the time we got back to HQ at two in the morning, we were pretty hungry and no longer needed the MRE.

When you’re out in the field, sometimes an MRE is the only food that you get to eat. And sometimes that’s hard to accept because maybe you’re wishing for mango salsa fish tacos or a porterhouse steak medium rare or rare with a baked potato.

Sometimes there’s this temptation for us when it comes to our spiritual food. Maybe we wonder, is there something that’s maybe a little bit more tasty, a little bit more appetizing out there? There’s got to be other options out there, so the temptation is to try other spiritual foods. What that might look like is trying other churches. They might have a great young adult group or activities for families, but the preaching and the teaching lack substance.

Or maybe it looks like watching YouTube videos that are spiritual or religious, but the substance isn’t there because it doesn’t focus on Christ for you but rather is very self-centered even though it may sound Christian.

Jesus asked a big group of disciples about this one time after he had said this to them in John chapter 6: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” Now, after Jesus said that, there were some in his group that questioned the exclusivity of Jesus’ teaching. Could Jesus himself be the only living bread from heaven, the only way to get to God, the Father in heaven?

Jesus then turned to his 12 closest disciples and asked them about this, and this is how they responded: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

There may be times that an MRE is the only food that you get to eat. And it’s necessary to eat it because it’s the only sustenance that you will receive that day. When it comes to religion or spiritual growth, there are a lot of choices out there for you. There are so many options. But Jesus gives us the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life, the only bread—and those are his words of promise, as they are taught and preached in their truth and purity.

His promises are the only food that we really need. They alone give life. They alone give you the forgiveness of your sins. They give you identity. They give you strength and comfort and peace. They give you a resurrection from the dead, and they give you eternal hope. Eat that Bread of Life daily, and you will live. He promises it.

Prayer:
Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know your Son, Jesus, to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life, that we may boldly confess him to be the Christ and steadfastly walk in the way that leads to life eternal.

Recently a carrier group from our West Coast deployed to the Middle East. We ask that you send your holy angels to keep these sailors safe in body, mind, and soul. De-escalate the political and religious tensions in that area so that those whom you have called to be your own might live in peace and safety, and that human life might be preserved to the glory of your name. In your name we pray. Amen.