I am the bread of life.
John 6:48
Feast your eyes on this.” “You’ll get an eyeful.” “Eye candy.” All of these expressions make the eyes sound like the place on your face where you put your food, the mouth. And that isn’t so far from the truth. You ingest things not just with your mouth but also with your eyes. Maybe that’s what Jesus meant when he said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48) and “feed on me” (John 6:57). After all, you can’t literally eat him. So what’s with this choice of words?
When you feed on something, you get your strength from it. Eat vegetables and meat, and you’ll get strength from them. Without food you get weak and cranky, and eventually you’re too worn out to think or even move. Food for the mouth is necessary for life. But another kind of food is essential for the spirit, and that is the Jesus kind. In John 1, Jesus is called the Word, and that’s also what we call Scripture: the Word of God. No coincidence here. You feed on Jesus by feasting your eyes on his Word, and that means the Bible.
When your emotional life is on edge, when you feel weak spiritually or your mind is weak and weary, feed it by drinking in the Word of God. Get your strength by devouring truth. When you do, the truth of the Word goes into your mind and through your heart until it nourishes you and teaches you all that you need to live a holy life, and that means a good life. When you devour the Word of God, instead of getting a sugar high or a little extra around the middle, you get things like peace, hope, contentment, and love. As your spiritual life gains nourishment through the Word, your soul is satisfied. So take a big bite and enjoy!