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My Food
Dec 2, 05:19 PM
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.” (John 4:34 NIV).
Food is one of the basic necessities of life. One cannot live without it. Food can also be a source of personal satisfaction. It can bring great pleasure. Some even turn to food for that reason, seeking to satiate their deepest needs. God has built this into the fiber of our being – to enjoy good food, especially in the presence of others. It is no surprise, therefore, that the Bible speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven in terms of a great banquet. It has its roots in ancient prophesy. “On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine – the best of meats and the finest of wines.” (Isaiah 25:6 NIV) Jesus often referred to the Kingdom in the same terms. For instance, on one occasion He said, “People will come from the east and west and north and south and take their places at the feast in the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 13:20 NIV)
Often, when Jesus spoke of the great feast of the Kingdom, He used the occasion to talk about who would be there and who would not. He implied that those who simply assume their right to be there will be surprised at who actually surrounds the table. Many whom we would not deem “worthy” to attend will be there while many who proudly presume their invitation will be left out in the cold. “I say to you that many will come from the east and the west and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven. But the subjects of the Kingdom will be thrown outside into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:11-12 NIV)
When Jesus refers to His food, He is not only referring to that which sustains His natural physiological functions, but that which also satisfies His deepest needs and desires. Much has been written and spoken of concerning this generation and how we seek to have our needs met. William and Le Etta Benke have written extensively on the subject. In The Generation Driven Church, they write, “Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) regard religion as a positive thing if it enhances their life in some way. They are looking for churches that meet their needs as opposed to opportunities for service” (p. 44). In another volume entitled, Church Wake-Up Call, they state, “Having grown up with a sense of entitlement, Boomers have high expectations from institutions” (p. 15). In other words, this generation tends to regard church and Christianity primarily as a means of having their needs met. Many churches have fallen into the trap of being pressured to meet people’s needs in order to attract and sustain the constituencies for their ministry. Jesus felt no such pressure. His desire, His goal, His motivation, His satisfaction, His joy was all wrapped up in doing the will of God.