John 4:31-34 (ESV)
Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”
The awkward moment having passed, the disciples turn to the business at hand and urge Jesus to eat the food they returned from town with. After all, it had been a long journey and Jesus was worn out. Surely he was ready to have some lunch. Instead of sitting down to eat, he chooses to keep teaching, and takes advantage of the obvious.
“I have food to eat that you do not know about.”
As usual, the disciples had an earthly mindset while Jesus’ mind was set on things above. The disciple’s stomachs had been satisfied with food, yet their souls still needed much feeding. How often do we approach our desire for the things of God with the same ravenous appetite that we sometimes have for the things of the world? How often do we comment that, “I’m starving!” or note that, “I’m dying to get one of those!” rather than saying how much we desire more of Christ, His Church, or His Word? I’m not saying that we can’t enjoy the things of this world which God has declared “good”, but do we find a deeper satisfaction in the things of God?
Spurgeon wrote, “The man of the world thinks that, if he could have his own way, he would be perfectly happy, and his dream of happiness in this state or in the next is comprised in this, that his own wishes will be gratified, his own longings fulfilled, his own desires granted to him. This is all a mistake. A man will never be happy in this way.” I don’t know about you, but I certainly have an opinion on how my life should look right now. Sadly, it is not overflowing with “to do the will of him who sent me.” Yes, I’m doing lots of things that are good Kingdom endeavors, but do they satisfy me more than earthly things? Would I rather dine on worldly delicacies than the will of my Father? It can be a difficult balance to achieve.
Jesus found great satisfaction in doing the will of God even when He was weary. In fact, the conscious doing of God’s will refreshed the weary Jesus. “The bodily thirst (and hunger probably, from the time of day) which our Lord had felt before, had been and was forgotten in the carrying on of His divine work in the soul of this Samaritan woman” (Henry Alford). When we are weary from a day’s work, or the trials and travails of this life, remaining in God’s will can satisfy us on a much deeper level than any earthly meal or pleasure, which has no ability to touch our souls. We should all seek to dine on that “food” more and more.
