JOHN 4:32-38
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
It was stated earlier in this chapter that the LORD "must needs" go through Samaria (JOHN 4:4) - and we know why: he had an appointment with a certain Samaritan woman, and later in this chapter, others from the city of Sychar, to deliver the Gospel and present Himself as the Messiah. After his conversation with the woman, and her discovery of Who the LORD truly is, she leaves hurriedly to find others and tell them the good news.
In the meanwhile, His disciples return from town with the food they were asked to get, and they beseech the LORD to eat - and this is where we pick it up.
He tells them that He has sustenance that they are not aware of, and they are perplexed, wondering where He got His meal from. But then the LORD clarifies His statement and explains that His "meat" is to do the will of the Father, and to finish it.
We all need to eat, since the day we were born; sustenance sustains us and keeps us alive. Without it, we would starve - and desperate people resorted to desperate measures when faced with starvation, and famine.
Israel knew such peril in her history, in the same region we find ourselves here: in Samaria.
2 KINGS 6:24-26
24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
Much dispute surrounds the correct identification of "dove's dung" but whatever it was (chick pea-like vegetable, or small wild onions), it wasn't considered a typical staple in good times, but an item of last resort when no other food was available. Certainly a donkey's skull (used in a soup perhaps?) sounds entirely unappetizing!
When there is lack of God's Word in our lives, the spiritual knowledge of the most High that feeds our souls, is there such desperation to find it, as we would when food scarcity threatens our physical lives?
We know what Job had to say about food he required in order to survive:
JOB 23:12
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
That which sustained our LORD, His "meat" was to do the will of the Father. This brought nourishment to His Soul, encouragement to His Mind and resilience to His Spirit. To fulfill the purpose of the Father is the ultimate satisfaction for our LORD.
And for us as well.
Even people in the world find contentment when they can find some purpose in life, something to live for, a reason to get up in the morning as a motivating factor that keeps them going.
How much more so, should the saint of God find contentment in the purposes, the eternal purposes that He has prepared for us!
EPHESIANS 1:4-13
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
We are accepted, chosen, predestinated and adopted and sealed by God as His beloved, since before the foundation of the world! Think about that! For the purpose of becoming holy and have a love relationship with our Creator! And it was (and is!) His good pleasure to do so! All made possible by the atoning sacrifice of Christ, in accordance with His grace.
He has blessed us with wisdom, prudence, understanding of His will according to His purposes and counsel - and as such become a praise for His glory's sake, based on faith ("trust") in Him!
Finding God's purpose for your life, and fulfilling that purpose is truly "meat" for us, and drink as well - all the spiritual sustenance we could possibly need - and then some!
There are the purposes of propagating the Gospel that we ourselves have received, delivering it to the lost, so that they might also understand these mysteries. This is a glorious work that we enter into, harvesting where others before have planted; laboring fervently in as much as we are "fed" such vital nourishment of knowing the LORD, understanding His Word and His will, and walking in obedience to such.
Just as Jacob of the Old Testament and much later, John the Baptist planted, these disciples are reaping; spiritual co-laborers in God's Kingdom. Likewise just as Paul and Apollos labored together, it was God that gave the increase (1 COR 3:6-8). And the labors will receive their wages, that is, rewards granted at the bema-seat of Christ on that blessed Day (2 COR 5:9-11).
May we seek to know the will of our Father, and pursue Him with greater tenacity than we would pursue our refrigerator when we are hungry! Perhaps you haven't had much of a spiritual appetite for the Word of God lately?
When we fast from food for more than three or four days, our appetites diminish because our stomachs 'shut down' and remains so for over a month if we continue to fast. Once past that time, the body, having not received any nourishment will begin to cannibalize itself - and if that continues, our bodies will waste away until we starve to death.
But once we decide to break a fast of any considerable length of time (say a week or more), we can't resume our regular diet with the same volume as before. That could actually kill you! One needs to slowly digest simple carbs and liquids, gradually building up to more solid foods and proteins.
It's the same thing spiritually - you will need to force yourself to eat: begin small, but be intent on gradually increasing. And you will find your spiritual appetite increasing, and become robust and strong once again, being sustained by knowing and obeying the will of the Father according to His Word.
You will know the blessing of engaging in the work that God has purposed for you, and to one day finish that work, just as the LORD did, and Paul: See JOHN 17; also:
2 TIM 4:6-8
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
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