ood plays a major role in everyone's life. If a person is hungry, he easily gets angry. If food is not served, some might not want to participate in the community events. A person's main purpose of working is to be able to buy food. A person cannot live long without eating or drinking. One can only stay for a day or two to a week or two for the most. If a person does not eat for a long time, he would become weak, even if he's still alive. Therefore, food consumption is very important. God the Creator knows food is important to people. But he also said doing the will of God is more important than food. The Bible said, "His disciples urged him, 'Rabbi, eat something.' 32 But he said to them, 'I have food to eat that you know nothing about.'33 Then his disciples said to each other, 'Could someone have brought him food?' 34 'My food,' said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work." (John 4: 31 - 34)

To do the will of the Father who sent him is more important for Christ rather than eating food for his physical body. What did Christ mean when he said it is more important to do the will of him that sent him? Jesus was sharing the good news to a Samaritan woman at the well. He revealed to the woman that he himself was the Messiah. The woman believed him, so even though she initially came to draw water at the well, she left the water jar there, and went home to invite others to come and see Jesus.  Jesus' food, hence, is to share the gospel so that the Samaritan woman would believe. Jesus was so happy that he even skipped eating meal and told his disciples as described above. It is sad that believers today are doing their own will rather than what the Savior asked them to do. Jesus said, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28: 19 - 20)

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) Even though Christ has commanded them to do the will of God, believers today are refusing to obey the command.  If even Christ can prioritize doing the will of his Father, why don't believers want to do the Lord's will? That's a good question. Jesus said doing what the Father asked him to do was his food. Have you done God's will? Have you eaten yet?

While Jesus was in the flesh, he needed to eat food for his physical body. He was said to get hungry also (Mark 11:12). When he was about to start his ministry, after fasting for forty days, Satan tempted him to transform the stone into bread and eat it. Then, "Jesus answered, 'It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4) "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 8:3). Why did Jesus go on fasting? It must have been because he wanted to show that following God's command was more important than eating physical food. It might also be to set an example for all believers. When he was very hungry, he put more value on God's command over the craving for food. We must also give more attention to God's command than food. 

In the Old Testament, God said this through the prophet Isaiah, "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you," (Isaiah 55:1-3)

When God spoke of food and water, it is clear that he spoke of spiritual food rather than physical one. No matter how much bodily food is eaten, one cannot get full; Thirst of water cannot be quenched. However, those who eat spiritual food and drink spiritual water are satisfied and can make life worth living. However, a person who is spiritually blind and deaf cannot understand these things. May you be able to pray to God with all your heart without reservation to be able to hear and see spiritually. God is ready to satisfy everyone who thirst.

 

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