Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

New Testament Scholar Dale Brunner says that here, Jesus claims not just to be bread – but The Bread. And it is bread that gives not just some life – but deep and abiding Life. Jesus is claiming to be that for which all human beings most long. I am the Bread of Life. But how do we get this Life?

In her book, God and the Art of Improv, MaryAnn McKibben Dana quotes Samuel Wells. I love this quote, “When people say, ‘life isn’t a rehearsal,’ I say, ‘But it is, really, isn’t it?’ Life is a rehearsal… (and) the habits of rehearsal are everything we do in life…. Most of my life is preparation for crucial moments. I’m not saying I’ve reached a defining moment in my life, but I’ve reached some fairly crucial moments where I had to act from memory.”

This raises the question: Am I prepared to face the suffering and loss in life that is inevitable? Am I prepared to face times of loneliness? Am I prepared to face these confusing, difficult times right now?

I think about my friend Charley Landreth who had a stroke and lost his ability to speak. But as those who go to visit with him know, he is one of the most joyful people you’ll ever meet. It’s as if Charley trained for the Olympics – Olympics for the soul!

There are times, we need to act from memory. And the practices of our faith are very much a kind of rehearsal – practices of worship, prayer and meditation, small group gatherings in his name. They are the very concrete specific acts of coming to Christ. They re-orient us. They bring us back into his presence so that we can be fed, trained, strengthened.

So how do we get to the Bread of Life? New Testament scholar Dale Brunner says, “On one level the answer is very simple. Just come. Come to him. And then come again, and then again…” Trust in him. Show up where he has promised to be…

He has promised to meet us in worship. He has promised to meet us in times of prayer. He has promised to meet us where two or three are gathered in his name. He has promised to meet us in the poor, the sick, the suffering when we minister to them. And, to all those who trust, and to all of those who come, indeed, he promises, he will fill.

Let us pray: Loving God, I pray today for those who desperately need you near, the lonely, the poor, the sick, and the heartbroken. Meet each of us in this moment of prayer. Heal us. Renew us. And strengthen us each to serve you in our own way. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today’s message was written by Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.

It is no secret that I have a passion for encouraging people to base their life on gratitude. Paul put it like this, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18a).

Let me point out that Paul didn’t say to give thanks ‘for” all circumstances. Obviously, we don’t give thanks for cancer or heart attacks, arthritis or blindness, Alzheimer’s or terrorist attacks. But we can give thanks “in” all circumstances because God is with us, come what may. And when we realize that and embrace that, and reach out to God in faith, he will give us strength and see us through. We can count on that. And that is cause for great thanksgiving.

There is an old legend that tells about a man who came one day to the barn where Satan stores the seeds that he scatters across the earth. The man noticed that the two most abundant seeds in the barn were the seeds of bitterness and discouragement. He asked Satan about those seeds. “Oh, yes,” came the reply, “bitterness and discouragement; they are, without question, my most effective seeds. Why these seeds will grow almost anywhere.”

Then, with a solemn look on his face, Satan said, “However, there is one place where the seeds of bitterness and discouragement will not grow.” “Oh?” said the man, “and where is that?” Satan answered, “They will not grow in a heart of gratitude.”

Let us pray: God of love, we come to you with hearts full of love, souls full of trust, and minds full of thanksgiving. Your lovingkindness is as far-reaching as the stars, your care for us as deep as the sea. Help us to turn with childlike trust. Open our eyes to the wonders of Your Word and send us on our way with hope and courage. Watch over those traveling. Teach us that we never journey beyond your loving-care. Through the amazing grace of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I love the dramatic call stories in the Bible. I didn’t have a dramatic call from God, but in a way, I can relate. In these stories, God’s call is almost always met with at least a little resistance. This is human nature, right? When Moses was called, he replied to God, “Who am I?” Isaiah said, “Woe is me. I am lost.” Jeremiah replied, “I’m just a boy!” What they were saying is, “I’m not worthy.”

You may be familiar with this excuse. How could you pick me? If you had any idea God, what I’ve done in my life? Could you get somebody a little more together, a little more religious, a little more faithful?

As a pastor, I have noticed that some people have a hard time feeling chosen or accepted, or even loved. We live in a culture that tells us we have to be the best, the brightest, have the most in order to be chosen and loved. But that is not how God works.

I’ve actually had people tell me that they don’t want to attend church because they feel they don’t have their act together enough. In fact, not too long ago, a friend shared with me that her aunt won’t go to church anymore because she was divorced twice. She didn’t feel good enough or worthy enough to be in God’s presence. Which is sad.

The truth is there is no one in the church who is perfect. There is no one who has it all completely together. There is no one who is not in need of God’s grace. No one. And yet, God loves us and has in fact laid claim to each of our lives.

The very heart of the Gospel is that God loves you, God forgives you and God calls you to be a part of his family. And, no matter where you are on your faith journey, God invites you to serve the world with his love.

Let us pray: Here we are, Lord. With all of our imperfections, all of our faults and flaws. We know that you love us and that you have called us, and we want to respond. We want to respond not just with our words – but with our very lives. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Today, I am deeply grateful for those of you who have supported the Dial Hope Foundation with a financial donation. Hope reaches others because of you. Thank you!

There was a woman in a community who was well known for her simple faith and grace under pressure. She had endured many trials and difficulties in life and yet remained vibrant and full of hope. Another woman who had never met her, but who had heard of her faith, came to visit one day. She thought to herself, “She’s so at ease with life, and she seems to have such great peace despite her difficulties. I want to know why.”

When they finally met, the visitor remarked, “So you are the woman with the great faith I’ve heard so much about.” “No,” came the reply. “I am not a woman with great faith. But I am a woman with a little faith in a great God!”

The angel who met with Sarah and Abraham to tell them they would have a child in their old age, asked the elderly couple, “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14)

A similar question is put to Jeremiah, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

Then, when the angel Gabriele appears to Mary to tell her she will give birth to the Messiah, he says to her, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

Later, Jesus himself echoes this promise, “All things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)

We worship a great God. It is not that God is going to answer every prayer when or how we’d like. No. However, we can trust that God will help us make our way through the trials and difficulties of life. And if we are open to it, the peace of Christ which surpasses all understanding will be with us even in the midst of the storm.

Let us pray: Loving God, today we pray for even a little faith – faith enough to lay our burdens and concerns at your throne of grace. Amen.

In the book of Numbers (chapter 11), Moses cries out in complaint to God:

“Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give birth to them….? I am not able to carry all these people alone, for they are too heavy for me.”

At this time in his life, leading the people of Israel through the wilderness, Moses felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. He felt this crushing burden, and he cries out to God in a heartfelt lament: I can’t do it on my own.

Maybe you know what that’s like. I have to imagine many of us have been there – humbled to that point of need. But I do have to wonder how many of us feel we can be so honest before God. I think many of us were taught that prayers had to be nice – formal, just the right words. But in the Bible so many of the prayers are much more raw, more real. We don’t have to read many of the Psalms to see this is the case.

It takes humility and strength to recognize our limitations. It takes humility and strength to recognize our need for others and our need for God, and to ask for help. However, many have discovered that when they let down their guard enough to let others in and to share their deepest concerns and burdens, relationships typically deepen.

My prayer today is this: May you and I, may we be the kind of people who are humble and strong enough to cry out to God in all humility and honesty. May we be humble and strong enough to ask for help when we need it. And, may we trust that God is big enough to handle not only our burdens but also our honesty.

Let us pray: We cry out to you, O God, as people who sometimes feel broken and alone. We don’t even always have the words to pray. But we trust that you know our hearts. And we lift up to you now in this next moment of silence the deepest prayers of our hearts…. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.