I've heard of people having a "life verse”; some particular verse that is meaningful to them, that they have as a kind banner over their lives. I've yet to hear anyone say John 6:53 is their life verse. Jesus said "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." The contemporaries who heard Jesus say these words were offended by them and, as John records, after hearing them, they never followed him again (v. 66).
As odd as the text may sound, the context is one of being nourished and sustained by fellowship with God through the Son, Jesus Christ. Not only has He invited us to sit and dine with Him, but He has invested us to eat of Him. Jesus calls us to partake of Him; of His nature, of His grace, of His love, of His justice and of His peace. All of this is done by faith; a faith that unites us with the Father and with the Son. And we maintain this blessed communion through feasting on Jesus.
To feast on Christ we need to have a craving for Him; a desire for Him. To hunger and thirst after Him. To feel a sense of spiritual malnutrition when we are far from Him. If we are to feast on Christ, we must also apply ourselves to Him. It is not enough to think about eating food, nor will merely looking at the food do you any good. You must take it up and eat it for it to have any application to you. We must make Christ ours; all of who He is, He is for us. Salvation, peace, hope, refuge, safety; Christ is all these things, and He is all these things for you. You must take them for your own. And lastly, to eat the flesh of Jesus and drink He blood, we must find our delight in Him; for who He is and what He has done for us. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will satisfy the cravings of your heart (Ps. 37:4).
Father, it is the privilege of all privileges to know you and enjoy you forever. Help me to eat my full of Jesus today.
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