Food That Satisfies

John 4:31-38

At holiday seasons, we become consumed with food and entertaining.  We talk about food, buy it, prepare it, cook it, eat it, burp it, then sleep it off. But all too soon, we find ourselves hungry again. Jesus says there is a food that satisfies–Doing the Father’s will and work. This holiday season, I want you to enjoy the Father’s food that satisfies!

Jesus had taken a brief layover in Samaria. He was on His way home to Galilee for a time of rest and refreshment. During the journey through Samaria, Jesus and His disciples stopped outside the village of Sychar.

He stopped to rest by Jacob’s well because He was completely exhausted. The disciples went grocery shopping. John unfolds the narrative of the “woman at the well” for us. He tells us how the woman came by at midday, and Jesus talked to her, He taught her about living water, told her everything she had ever done, and made her thirsty for living water.

The woman was so excited about the hope and opportunity that Jesus presented to her, that she ran through the city recruiting an audience to “Come, see a man, who told me everything I have ever done. Is He the Christ?”

Sandwiched between the woman’s comings and goings is the disciples’ return from their shopping trip. They returned with food, and invited Jesus to eat. They knew that He had to be hungry. He was completely exhausted just a few minutes earlier. It is noon. It’s time to eat. But Jesus told them, “I am already eating!”

They know this can’t be right. The disciples look at each other. “Who brought Him food? Did you? Did someone else stop by and feed the Master?”

Then Jesus taught them a powerful lesson about food that satisfies. He said, “Doing God’s will satisfies me more than the finest menu of delicious food. I have a job to do, and I am going to remain faithful until I complete it! See, there are needy souls all around–Samaritans–just waiting and longing to hear the good news. They are like a field of ripe wheat, ready to harvest. I can’t delay the Father’s work or the harvest may be ruined and lost while it is ripe in the fields. There are souls to save, and that’s the food that satisfies my deepest hunger.”

He told His followers, “When you help me do the Father’s work, you are gaining an eternal reward, along with all of the faithful prophets and ministers who have done God’s work before us, and who will do God’s work after we are long gone. One sows the seed. Someone else harvests it, but it’s all God’s work. Others have brought this Samaritan field of souls to this point of readiness. Now, we are privileged to come and harvest it for the Father.”

Many Samaritans were saved that day, along with the woman who had come to the well. Jesus stayed 3 days and ministered in Samaria.

As I tell you this story, I think about food. The disciples went to buy it, they brought it back to Jesus, but he said that he had already eaten! When I think about food, it makes me think of Thanksgiving. Praise, thankfulness to God for all of His manifold blessings and provision. And when I think of Thanksgiving, I remember how full I get from eating smoked turkey, oyster dressing, corn, beans, sweet potato casserole, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh hot yeast rolls, and pumpkin pie. That fills me up, at least for a while! But that’s not what satisfied Jesus.

Today, I want to encourage you to eat a meal that is more satisfying than a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Jesus was sent by the Father to do a job, He was satisfied by the food–the Father’s assignment, and He was sending His followers to fulfill the Father’s assignment.

Someone has coined the word “Thanksliving” to express a lifestyle of rejoicing is doing the Father’s will. This holiday season, embrace Thanksliving, and enjoy a food that satisfies–doing the Father’s will. Jesus is our Example because He was sent, satisfied, and sending.

Does doing the Father’s will taste good to you? It did to Jesus, and the Father’s Will can make for a great “Thanksliving” feast for you and for me, too.