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Read: John 6:26-34
Listen: John 6

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval. John 6:27

The crowd presses Jesus for another sign. They want more bread. Jesus points past the miracle to its meaning. When he references Moses and the manna in the wilderness, he corrects a long-held assumption: Moses did not provide the bread. God did (John 6:32). The manna was never just a meal. It was a daily invitation to trust God as the one true source of sustenance. Generation after generation, the Israelites missed the point. They ate the bread but missed the provision for their greatest hunger—God himself.

We often miss what God offers us too. An idol is anything that prompts the belief, “If only I had that, then I’d be satisfied.” We reach for a raise, relationship, or new experience, certain this one will finally be enough. The new thing satisfies for a short while, and then it becomes the old thing. The promotion feels significant for a few paychecks, and then it’s just normal. The vacation is fun and refreshing but then wears off. We may be searching for good things, but we expect them to do what only God can. We might even get mad at God for not giving us what we think he should. He is not withholding what we need. Rather, he offers us something better—himself.

TODAY: Practice a simple fast. Choose one thing you regularly turn to for comfort or distraction, and give it up for the day (for example, social media, a snack, entertainment, etc.). Each time you reach for it, pause and pray: “Lord, you are what I’m hungry for. Fill me with yourself.”