Only one thing satisfies. John 6.22-27

The faces change.  The scenarios change . . . the reason does not.  ‘I just really want him to love me,’ the high school girl explains to me, the day after she has given far too much of herself away to a demanding young man.  She wants love, and is willing to give sex for it.  He wants sex, and is willing to promise love for it.  (Some of you think, ‘thank God, I am long out of that painful stage of my life!’  But hold on…) 

And then … men and women alike hit a certain age and realize that no matter what they have done to prevent it, or how great a shape they have kept themselves, the inevitable is happening—they are indeed getting old, and doggone-it, life is passing them by!  In fact, one day, some self-centeredly ask, ‘Is this all there is?  I’ve been married to this person for 20 years, and … seriously, is this all there is?  Passion is long gone, my mate doesn’t really ‘get’ me anymore, doesn’t appreciate me, and I think I was meant for far more than this!’  More in life, more in a career, more in experiencing things … just more!’  Sometimes, hitting mid life just results in a fast car, or a career change, or going back to school, or creating a bucket list, not bad things at all, but far better even to realize that this search for something more—whether it is the teen-aged girl looking for more or the middle-aged man or woman—is a search for him who satisfies.

Let’s go back to the crowd that Jesus fed that afternoon on the hillside, the same crowd who followed him out there in the first place, to get more of him.  They had seen the disciples debark, and Jesus had not been with them, so they waited for him to come back; eventually, they realized he wasn’t coming back, so they again went in search for him.  John writes:

“The next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea knew there had been only one boat. They also knew that Jesus had not boarded the boat with His disciples, but that His disciples had gone off alone. Some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord gave thanks. When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.  When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

Jesus answered, “I assure you: You are looking for Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal of approval on Him.”

Jesus said it, ‘Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you…’  There it is—that which satisfies--the food that lasts for eternal life—available only in Jesus. The crowd that day went after Jesus because he fed them physically, a miracle to be sure, but he was telling them, ‘seek me for something more!’

‘Looking for love, teen-aged girl?  ‘Looking for validation, young man?  ‘Looking for purpose, middle-aged woman, middle-aged man?  ‘Looking for adventure, older man or woman?  Jesus says the same thing to you, ‘seek me.’

[Notice the last question, please.  The world does not offer adventure to our ‘older’ set, because if we are honest, our culture esteems youth.  But in God’s kingdom, adventure is always set before his children, no matter their age.  Adventure?  Oh, yes . . . the adventure in serving him in a purposeful, meaningful way—in a way that draws on our strengths, talents, passions, and zeal!  I do not see myself ever hanging up my Christian cleats.]

So are you looking for love, validation, purpose, adventure or just plain old satisfaction in your soul?  It can only be found in seeking out the Lover of your soul, Jesus Christ.  Only he satisfies.

Christine