Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
John 6:35 NIV
Hungry and Thirsty
20% of Canadians are children, but 33.1% of people who visited food banks in Canada in 2022 were children. Single adult households represent 45.4% of households accessing food banks, while representing only 29.3% of the population. Those receiving provincial social assistance as their main source of income represent 49% of households accessing food banks. 8.9% of food bank clients are seniors, a significant increase from 6.8% in 2019. Food banks in Canada provided over four million meals in 2022.
***
As Canadians, we are saddened by the statistics about hunger in our nation. Many churches and Christian ministries are working hard to alleviate hunger, and thousands of Christians volunteer each day to serve those who are suffering from hunger and thirst. Followers of Christ are called to serve those who suffer and are in need, and not only physically. Jesus taught His first followers about this in John 6:35: “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” The moment that we put our faith and trust in Jesus, our deepest spiritual needs are met in Him. He removes our sin, guilt and shame, and replaces them with His peace and His abiding presence. Jesus is the bread of life, and like the manna that He provided to the Israelites in the wilderness, He provides all we need daily to never lack spiritually. As He provided springs in the desert, so He provides the living water of His Holy Spirit so that our spiritual thirst is continually met. In a world that is so needy, Jesus is the only One who can meet every spiritual need. Trust Him.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley