Bread? Or the Bread-giver?

Daily Devotional by Tommy Tenney

Seek the heart of the King, not the splendor of His kingdom.

Finding Favor with the King, p. 31

Scripture Reading

John 6:26-29, where Jesus, the day after feeding the 5000, challenges the people to seek Him not because he gave them bread but because He is the Living Bread.

What does it mean to pursue the King? It means wanting to know Him, not just hang around Him. Have you met people whose sole purpose in life was to get as close as possible to people of power and influence? Their goal was to see what they could get from their association with the rich and powerful - they couldn't care less about really knowing them. The only sought the prestige or personal benefits won by saying, "I'm on the inside track" or "I'm in the loop."

Jesus also had His share of "hangers-on." He was surrounded by people who followed Him seeking only what He could do for them, not for who He was. They "hung out" with Him only for what they could get from Him. This attitude even showed up in His own inner circle. James and John, the "sons of thunder," boldly asked Jesus of they could sit on His right and left hand in glory. This made the other disciples angry. (Probably because they hadn't thought of it first!) Jesus taught them that the measure of true greatness in the kingdom of God is found only in the heart and attitude of servanthood.

People who always jockey for position aren't interested in serving but in being served. Christians who do this really know nothing of the heart of the King. Jesus said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

In John 6:26-29, on the day after Jesus fed 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, the same crowd had followed Him to Capernaum. Jesus bluntly confronted them about their attitude. "...you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you..."

Jesus plainly told them He was the "Bread of life" and removed any illusion about what it meant to be "with Him." It wasn't about a free ride or a free lunch. He called them to a life of faith and commitment to Him leading to everlasting life. Unfortunately, all they wanted was free bread. "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more." They weren't interested in knowing the Bread-giver, they wanted free bread and the splendor of the spotlight. When its luster faded so did they.

If you're serious about pursuing the King, then seek to know Him. Seek His heart and love Him for who He is, not for what He can do for you. Become like Him, begin to think as He thinks, love as He loves and do as He does. Hang on His every word for the sheer joy of just being with Him! When you are with the King, nothing else matters!

Are you seeking the heart of the King or merely the splendor of His kingdom? Do you love Him for who He is or for what He can do for you? There is one way to know. Ask yourself: If I lost everything and all I had left was my relationship with the King, would that be enough? Would you be satisfied? What are you after? Bread? Or the Bread-giver?

Prayer

Lord, I want to know Your heart! I want to know You-to feel as You feel, think as You think and love as You love. Help me look beyond Your gifts, Your blessings, and the splendor of Your kingdom and put my focus on You! To know You and be with You and know You-nothing else matters!