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Looking for spiritual refreshment? God Pause e-mail devotions are short, meaningful reflections on
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By Sunday, you'll be ready for an extra meaningful worship experience.
Our devotion writers are Luther Seminary alumni/ae. Their reflections are a
gift to you and to the church.
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Thursday, 7/30/2009
John 6:24–35
"Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves." Jesus has cut us to the quick. It is not the wonder of Jesus' signs that draws us, or the promise of the kingdom breaking in on this world, but our own greedy selves hoping that maybe this Jesus is the quick fix we need to finally get everything we want from this life. Too often we see religion as a self-help machine, spewing out more ways to make us rich, successful, happy, or popular. We are not looking for the Son of God. We are looking for ways to be our own god.
Our faith is not about answers. Sometimes, our faith is more about questions. It is not about us and our petty wants any more. It is about stepping outside of time, outside of greed, and into the depths of the miracle of God in our world.
Holy Lord, we confess that we are too self-interested to simply stand in your glory. Take us outside ourselves and let us simply be amazed by you and your love. Amen.
Megan Torgerson
Augustana Lutheran Church, West Saint Paul, Minn.
Master of Divinity, 2006
John 6:24–35 (NRSV)
24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"
26 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
27 "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal."
28 Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?"
29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
30 So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?
31 "Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
32 Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 "For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."
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Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian
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