Daily Devotion

Tuesday, February 3, 2026  

Today's Scripture
John 6:41–51

Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered them, “Do not complain among yourselves. No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (NRSV)

I am always comforted by these simple — and simply profound words from Mark 9:24 — “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.”

Reassurance washes over us when we recognize that God understands our doubts; God does not judge us for them. This short prayer acknowledges that while faith exists, it is often faint, fragile, and even fleeting. Luckily for us humans, Jesus welcomes a faltering faith. He is eager to guide us to the path of strengthened faith.

In this passage, Jesus quiets the grumbling Jews by foreshadowing the radical act of love God bestows upon us — that “Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life… I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of his bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

In this passage, Jesus proclaims something astonishing, to say the least. He knows that, as humans, the people gathered around him will not understand this assertion: “Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Even as he foreshadows his own death and resurrection, Jesus calms and reassures his flock, reminding them that he is the source of eternal life.

Prayer

Creator God, I am grateful and amazed that you accept me as the living contradiction that I am. Thank you for always being on my shoulder, gently guiding me when I wrestle with my faith. After the gift of many years on your earth, I am eternally grateful for all that you and others have done to nurture this faith. Amen. 

Written by Betsy Storm, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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