The I AM sayings of Jesus

This devotional is written by Max Somerset. Max Somerset has been involved with St. Mary's for approximately 10 years. He is a professional Magician who likes to mix Magic and Apologetics to present magic with a message. Currently living in Fulham, he divides his time equally between his fiancee and a couple of white rabbits.

35 Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

The loss of appetite and weight loss, is a normal part of the dying process but during our lives, our appetite for food and drink are obviously a critical part of the living process. Once at a wedding, I met a very high achieving young lady who studied psychology at Oxford, we will call her Erin so as to keep her confidence. I was told quietly by her sister that Erin was struggling with severe anorexia and not to bring up the obvious sad and painfully thin state of her physical health. Erin approached me and I introduced myself. I was conscious to keep the conversation fairly surface level, "So what are you doing at the moment?" I asked. "I am doing nothing" "OK, I said, are you thinking of a career change?" "No, she said, to be honest all our ambition and achievements don't mean anything in the long run and I'm not ashamed to point out the fact that of all our humanitarian efforts are ultimately futile as well... any other view is just sentimentality." I wanted to talk to her about spiritual things but it was awkward and I sensed her sisters' eyes burning the back of my neck so I ended the conversation but I couldn't stop thinking about her so I sent a friend request on Facebook book which was accepted. I was to find out a year later that Erin had dropped further in weight, been taken into a clinic and could now only walk with the assistance of crutches but I remembered her often in prayer.

The symptoms of anorexia which range from self punishment, perfectionism, control, depression, to the goals of achieving chronic weight loss are among the many examples of our broken fractured souls' restless attempt to find the living bread in the wrong places. Physical sustenance is critical for the physical living process but God alone is the living bread. To feed on him is a critical part of the SPIRITUAL living process which in turn affects all aspects of our social, emotional, mental and physical lives. Dr David Bentley Hart describes God as 'not a being among other beings, not even the greatest possible of beings, but the fullness of being itself, the absolute plentitude of reality upon which all else depends'

The Aramaic Bible in plain English really gets the essence of it when it puts it like this "Yeshua (Jesus) said to them I AM THE LIVING GOD The bread of life, whoever comes to me will not go hungry whoever trusts in me will never thirst."

Jesus doesn't say he has the bread of life, he says he is the bread of life because he is the 'absolute plentitude of reality upon which all else depends.' As we come to him today let's remember it works both ways. On the one hand, we come, we trust, we eat and we drink. On the other hand, he gives himself, he feeds us with his life and nurtures our soul by his Spirit so that we can live life to the fullest, from the core of our being.

Well, I can happily say that one of the doctors shared his faith with Erin whilst she was in the clinic and she came to faith in Jesus. She now often posts worship songs or words of encouragement on Facebook and has recently in the last week successfully run 5k. She is looking much healthier and I can safely say that the Living Bread has been restoring her appetite for food and for life.

If that's what you need right now, the ovens are on and Jesus is waiting.