Closer Than You Think
When something terrible happens and the world makes zero sense…
The Lord is still close.
Throughout Scripture, we see examples of this: God fights for the Israelites and rescues them from the Egyptians (Exodus 14:13-14). Joshua defeats powerful nations because God fights for him (Joshua 23:10). The Israelites are protected by God as they rebuild Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 4:20).
In Isaiah 54, God reminds the Israelites that He sees their pain, and He has compassion on their circumstances. At the time, the Israelites were in exile. But God promises that their suffering won’t last forever.
God does not abandon His people. Even when they endure intense hardship, God still ultimately shows up, and when they cry out to Him, He fights for them.
And the same God who fought for Israel fights for each of us. This doesn’t mean you won’t face hard things. But even when your mind races and your heart doubts, God is near. He offers you a peace that cannot fully be explained.
Right now, take a few moments to name anything that is crushing your spirit. Then, give yourself permission to sit in God’s presence for a few moments. Give Him all your concerns, and ask Him to show you how He has protected and provided for you.
The Bread That Fills Forever
After feeding 5,000 people with just five loaves and two fish, the crowd chased after Him, hungry for more bread. But instead of sating their hunger, He tells them to stop hoping for food that spoils. Rather, He says, they should seek food that endures to eternal life.
Jesus knows our physical hunger, but He also knows the greater hunger of our souls. Beneath our roaring stomachs is an even louder cry—for forgiveness, reconciliation, and life with God. That’s why He declares:
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
John 6:51 (NIV)
This isn’t about bread that fills for a day; it’s about the bread of His body, given for the life of the world.
Sitting with His disciples in the Upper Room before His arrest, trial, and crucifixion, Jesus breaks bread with them, saying, “This is my body, given for you.” It’s the first communion, a meal ...