What’s Your Favorite Food?

In John 4, it says that Jesus was tired and thirsty as He sat by a well to wait for His disciples to come back with food.  He strikes up a conversation with a Samaritan woman which eventually brings her to believe in Him as the Messiah.  When His disciples return they offer Him some food.  His response is not what they expected.

“I have food to eat that you know nothing about…  My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.”  John 4:32, 34.

So Jesus is saying obedient Christians should never have to eat again, right?  No, of course not.  But He IS saying that some things are more fulfilling and more important and more nourishing than food.  He IS saying that we should have higher priorities than satisfying our bodily appetites. 

Jesus’ most satisfying and strengthening “food” was to be obedient to God and do His will.  And it’s ours too; we just frequently forget. 

Have you ever had a Christian responsibility that you simply did not feel like doing?  Maybe it was to visit someone whose company you didn’t really enjoy, but you knew it would bless them.  Maybe it was to teach a Sunday School class or lead some kind of meeting.  Maybe it was simply to make a phone call to someone who needed to hear from you.  (Maybe it was to write a blog that only 2 or 3 people would read)

Whatever it was, you did it.  And even though nothing great seemed to come out of it, you had the sense that you did what you were supposed to do–you did God’s will.  And that sense of satisfaction provided a kind of nourishment for you.

I think that’s at least partly what Jesus is talking about here.  We tend to think satisfying our own personal preferences will be what’s most fulfilling, but Jesus is teaching us by example that doing God’s will–whatever it may be and whatever it may cost and no matter what does or doesn’t happen afterwards–is ultimately the most satisfying thing on earth.

That’s the best meal we could ever eat.