GOD Morning! Food / December 29, 2016

GOD Morning!

Food

December 29, 2016

John 4:31-54

³¹ Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus [to have a meal], saying, “Rabbi (Teacher), eat.”³² But He told them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” ³³ So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him something to eat?” ³⁴ Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to completely finish His work. ³⁵ Do you not say, ‘It is still four months until the harvest comes?’ Look, I say to you, raise your eyes and look at the fields and see, they are white for harvest. ³⁶ Already the reaper is receiving his wages and he is gathering fruit for eternal life; so that he who plants and he who reaps may rejoice together. ³⁷ For in this case the saying is true, ‘One [person] sows and another reaps.’ ³⁸ I sent you to reap [a crop] for which you have not worked. Others have worked and you have been privileged to reap the results of their work.”

The Samaritans

³⁹ Now many Samaritans from that city believed in Him and trusted Him [as Savior] because of what the woman said when she testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they asked Him to remain with them; and He stayed there two days. ⁴¹ Many more believed in Him [with a deep, abiding trust] because of His word [His personal message to them]; ⁴² and they told the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; for [now] we have heard Him for ourselves and know [with confident assurance] that this One is truly the Savior of [all] the world.”

⁴³ After the two days He went on from there into Galilee. ⁴⁴ For Jesus Himself declared that a prophet has no honor in his own country. ⁴⁵ So when He arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him, since they had seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they too came to the feast.

Healing a Nobleman’s Son

⁴⁶ So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee, where He had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son was sick in Capernaum. ⁴⁷ Having heard that Jesus had come back from Judea to Galilee, he went to meet Him and began asking Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you [people] see [miraculous] signs and wonders, you [simply] will not believe.” ⁴⁹ The royal official pleaded with Him, “Sir, do come down [at once] before my child dies!” ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, “Go; your son lives!” The man believed what Jesus said to him and started home. ⁵¹ As he was already going down [the road], his servants met him and reported that his son was living [and was healthy].⁵² So he asked them at what time he began to get better. They said, “Yesterday during the seventh hour the fever left him.” ⁵³ Then the father realized that it was at that very hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son lives”; and he and his entire household believed and confidently trusted [in Him as Savior]. ⁵⁴ This is the second sign (attesting miracle) that Jesus performed [in Cana] after He had come from Judea to Galilee [revealing that He is the Messiah].

I don’t know where to begin. Today’s scripture reading has so much in it to write about. Well, this can be said of every day’s scripture reading, actually. God’s word astounds me. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, astounds me. Every time I open up the Bible, I am astounded.

First of all, Jesus was speaking metaphorically about food. He refused to give the disciples a straight answer. He was trying to make a point and they were not getting it.

Food is life. Food is nourishment. Food is energy. Food is health. Without food we die.

So He was saying that His nourishment, energy, health and life came from doing God’s will.

This reminds me of my friend. I have known her for fiveish years. I received a text from her yesterday saying that she wants me to text her when we arrive for Prayer and Pizza, a weekly prayer meeting held in a local Community Room. She wants to join us!!! What? This news brought me instant energy! Nourishment for my soul for sure! I cried for joy.

Then He segued right into harvesting. Which is doing the will of God, right?

Some sow and some reap.

So basically, doing Gods will, sowing and reaping, is life and breath for me as well. Jesus is my example. I am to be like Jesus.

I will stop here, although I could easily go on writing about each scripture. Sometimes I think it would be fun to write a commentary. Not a scholarly sort of commentary. Just a “what stands out to me at the moment” sort of commentary. Scripture by scripture.

Like the part about the Samaritan woman telling everyone about Jesus, the man who told her own life’s story to her. Because of her testimony, word spread like wildfire. This reminds me of simply going around reaching out to folks, sharing my testimony with them and praying with them. Miracles happen and they tell everyone!

“Dear Jesus, I must understand today that doing Your will is nourishment, energy, health and life to my bones! Doing Your will brings deep joy! Doing my will is fun for the moment, but definitely not life giving. I long to be like You. What an Excellent Example You are! How I love You, Jesus, AMEN.”