John 4:34 – We Must Hunger for God’s Food
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
--John 4:34 NASB
Jesus and His disciples were traveling from Judea to Galilee and on their way they passed through Samaria. At mid-day they stopped in the Samaritan town of Sychar. Jesus sat down by Jacob's well and the disciples went in search of food. While waiting there, Jesus spoke with a woman who was little-respected in the town because of her past and current life. Through their conversation, Jesus demonstrated that He knew all about her. He also shared with her the good news of the coming of the Messiah and, through her, spread this good news to the entire town. Through these events we are reminded that God sometimes uses very weak and unlikely instruments to perform His work.
When the disciples returned with what food they could find, Jesus explained that He had already eaten and been satisfied. The poor disciples, often unable to think beyond the realm of the physical, wondered where Jesus had gotten His food. Jesus explained that His "food," or his satisfaction, was in completing the work of His Father. In verses 35 through 38 Jesus goes on to explain the significance of this much needed work.
Those that want to know Christ must diligently follow His example. Christ compares the work of God to harvesting. The harvest is an anticipated and expected result of the growing and cultivating process. The same is true for the gospel—the good news of Christ and the kingdom of God. Harvest is a very busy time and all hands are needed for the work. Harvest is also a short period of time and all of the work must be done then, or not at all. The time of the gospel is also a season. Once it is past, it cannot be reclaimed. All around us in our daily lives are crops of sorts--lives that are open to the gospel of Christ and potentially ripe for harvest. But if there is no one to "work the field," to encourage growth and reap the harvest, those crops--those lives--may be forever lost. If we truly want to know Christ, then the work of God should be our desire; our food.
Father, forgive me when I do not run with joy into the fields. Give me a constant hunger for Your food; to do the work of Your harvest. In Jesus' name, amen.
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--John 4:34 NASB
Jesus and His disciples were traveling from Judea to Galilee and on their way they passed through Samaria. At mid-day they stopped in the Samaritan town of Sychar. Jesus sat down by Jacob's well and the disciples went in search of food. While waiting there, Jesus spoke with a woman who was little-respected in the town because of her past and current life. Through their conversation, Jesus demonstrated that He knew all about her. He also shared with her the good news of the coming of the Messiah and, through her, spread this good news to the entire town. Through these events we are reminded that God sometimes uses very weak and unlikely instruments to perform His work.
When the disciples returned with what food they could find, Jesus explained that He had already eaten and been satisfied. The poor disciples, often unable to think beyond the realm of the physical, wondered where Jesus had gotten His food. Jesus explained that His "food," or his satisfaction, was in completing the work of His Father. In verses 35 through 38 Jesus goes on to explain the significance of this much needed work.
Those that want to know Christ must diligently follow His example. Christ compares the work of God to harvesting. The harvest is an anticipated and expected result of the growing and cultivating process. The same is true for the gospel—the good news of Christ and the kingdom of God. Harvest is a very busy time and all hands are needed for the work. Harvest is also a short period of time and all of the work must be done then, or not at all. The time of the gospel is also a season. Once it is past, it cannot be reclaimed. All around us in our daily lives are crops of sorts--lives that are open to the gospel of Christ and potentially ripe for harvest. But if there is no one to "work the field," to encourage growth and reap the harvest, those crops--those lives--may be forever lost. If we truly want to know Christ, then the work of God should be our desire; our food.
Father, forgive me when I do not run with joy into the fields. Give me a constant hunger for Your food; to do the work of Your harvest. In Jesus' name, amen.
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