Fight the Temptation to Pacify
By Emma Danzey
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” - John 6:35
I Am the Bread of Life
As I held my newborn son and saw him upset and crying, my husband and I began to introduce the pacifier. The concept is genius in some ways. It created the effect of comfort for the baby when we could not hold him, and it assisted him when he was seeking to calm down. When my son is not hungry, the pacifier is wonderful, however, if he is ready to eat, a pacifier is never going to satisfy his hunger. He will continue to cry out hoping for some of that delicious mother’s milk. Similarly, there are things in life we pacify with as adults. Things that are not totally bad and can temporarily satisfy us, but our spiritual hunger is only met by Christ alone.
Jesus calls Himself the Bread of Life in John 6:35. He claimed He is the only one who can fill our empty hearts. He made this claim to the woman at the well. She had been pacified with a life of seeking her identity in men. Jesus told her only He could give her what she was truly looking for in life. The bread was significant to the culture at the time. It was a staple food in every home, connected to the manna provided to the Israelites in the desert. Jesus proclaimed more than just helping the woman, He told her He was the Messiah, the Manna coming down from heaven, was and is, and always will be God.
Whoever Comes to Me Shall Not Hunger
A hungry baby is not a pretty sight or sound. When my son begins to cry out for food only I can provide, I give him what he needs. If I continuously stuck a pacifier into his mouth, he would never be filled or grow, and I would be a terrible parent. Jesus recognizes we all have a hunger in our hearts for reconciliation with the Father. The Lord is perfect, and our sins separate us from Him. Jesus came so we could have His fullness. Unlike temporary milk, He provides the eternal solution to our sin problem. The moment we accept Christ as our Savior, there is no more eternal hunger. He is ours forever. However, as life causes us to seek out other things to fill us up, we come back to knowing He is the only One that will ever meet our needs.
And Whoever Believes in Me Shall Never Thirst
Jesus goes as far as to say that we will never thirst. You can go weeks without food, but only a few days without water. Water is a dire need. Jesus emphasizes that He is a great and regular need in our lives. We will never be thirsty spiritually for anything else once we are satisfied in Him. As I picture my 3-month-old crying out because the pacifier just is not cutting it, I imagine my own life. I hold on to temporary fixes and worldly comforts only to discover nothing measures up to the real deal, nothing but Jesus will ever be my all, forgive my sins, or bring me safely to heaven. He is the Giver of Life. Where sin and my flesh dry out the heart, He quenches it. His Living Water is for me, for you, and for everyone who believes in Him.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
I mentioned my son’s desire for milk and the insufficiency of the pacifier. What is a pacifier in your life right now? Where or what do you turn to for comfort that cannot satisfy your heart? How are you hungry or thirsty for Christ today? What is stopping you from seeking Him and letting go of your pacifiers for the real deal?
Further Reading:
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Thomas Soellner
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