A Study of John's Gospel

John 4:31-34: My Food Is Doing God's Will

The disciples did a good thing in going to buy food for Jesus, and then urging Him to eat and restore His strength. We need to take care of our physical bodies as best we can, and sometimes we need people around us to encourage us to take better care of ourselves when we get too focused on other good things, like work and service that honors the Lord. But Jesus is not telling them physical food and rest are not important. He is telling them about something more important and even more satisfying than food, which is, "to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work ."

Eating healthy food to nourish our bodies as best we can is important, and so is physical rest. We are finite creatures, and we need to steward our physical bodies as best we can as we prayerfully determine the appropriate balance between God-honoring work and God-honoring rest. But the nourishing of our souls is far more important. This is one of many instances in the gospels where Jesus contrasts our spiritual needs with our physical needs to show the physical is temporary, but the spiritual is eternal. There will be a new, material creation, free from sin and decay, one day; but this world is passing away. When we die, our physical bodies will stay in the ground until the resurrection, but our souls will be with the Lord. Jesus came to tell us many things, one of which is that we have eternal, spiritual needs that far exceed our physical needs, and the satisfaction that He can provide our souls is infinitely greater than any satisfaction that comes from a full stomach or quenched thirst.

Let's briefly consider a few instances similar to this one to better help our understanding of what Jesus means in this passage. At this point in the narrative, Jesus just finished a conversation with the woman of Samaria where He told her about the Living Water only He can give that will satisfy the otherwise unquenchable thirst of her soul. He did not mean she would no longer need to drink regular water as long as she lived on earth, He simply meant she needed far more than physical water to slake her thirst for the day. She needed the Living Water, that is, the Holy Spirit, to satisfy her for eternity.

Consider also the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:4, when after fasting for 40 days the Devil told Jesus to command stones to become bread so He could eat. But Jesus replied, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." This is another example of Jesus saying, physical food is not unimportant, but our relationship to God and love for His Word is so much more important. Bread fills the stomach for a day, but the Word of God sustains for eternity.

And in Job 23:12, Job, after having his wealth, children and health violently taken from him, said of God, "I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food." Also, Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet" even writes, in Jeremiah 15:16, "Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts."

From these passages, and so many more, we are meant to understand we have needs that far exceed our physical needs, although those are important too. And also, God is able to satisfy us in such a way that we will rejoice and delight in Him no matter what our physical circumstances are. And after this short life on earth, He will bring us into an eternal experience of His glory, love and goodness where there is fullness of joy and pleasure forever more (Psalm 16:11).

More than this though, Jesus is also speaking of the delight and satisfaction that comes from doing the work God has called us to which far exceeds any level of satisfaction that worldly toil, food or water can provide. True and lasting satisfaction comes from doing God the Father's will in our day to day existence. True satisfaction is only found by giving, not receiving or taking. If we truly want to be fulfilled, we must become willing servants of the Most High as we surrender our lives to Him and delight in doing His good and perfect will.

The irony is that living selfishly will only leave us emptier. Drinking the spiritual salt water of selfishness to quench our soul's deepest longings will only make us spiritually hungrier and thirstier. We need to be told this, because this truth goes against our sinful, self-serving nature. But it is true. This is the upside down kingdom of Jesus. It is upside down from our fallen, worldly perspective, but really, the Kingdom of God is right side up, and we are upside down and falling into a pitch-black, Christless eternity apart from His saving grace.

Jesus found satisfaction in His Spirit by doing the will of God the Father, and persevering in it until it was accomplished. And He did this even when He was tired and exhausted by the power of the Holy Spirit. We too, can and will find the strength to carry on and delight in doing the work God has called us to, no matter what our physical circumstances are, if we learn to live in dependence on God's Spirit in us. This means developing the same kind of spiritual disciplines Jesus had, like prayer and love for God's Word. We must daily draw near to God in worship and adoration by means of prayer, and Bible study out of a sincere desire to know Him more. And as we do so, we will more and more instinctively cling to Him when it becomes difficult to do His will, and learn to live out of the overflow of His strength, love and grace in us, rather than trying to live in our own finite strength.

Application (How does this change how I think, act and pray?):

From this passage we learn there is something far more satisfying than a full stomach or a comfortable place to rest after a long day. Caring for our physical bodies is important, but we have far greater spiritual needs that only God can satisfy. Earthly wisdom might tell us we need to love and serve ourselves to experience any kind of rest in our soul, but Jesus tells us selfless service to God is what truly satisfies. We need to care for our bodies, and should lovingly help to care for the physical needs of others, but it is vitally important to understand that this physical existence is temporary. There will be a new, glorious material creation one day, but the bodies we have now will die, and our souls will live on forever. The question is where?

Jesus came to awaken us to our eternal, spiritual needs, and to accomplish the work of redemption through death on a cross to bring us into His kingdom and satisfy the hunger of our souls that only He can satisfy. We have a Jesus shaped hole in our hearts that only He can fill. And He not only fills us when we invite Him in and surrender to His will. He overflows through us to others, as we become more like Him in showing love, compassion, and selfless service to those around us. We need to learn that we need Jesus more than food, water or any temporal comfort in this world. Doing the will of God is infinitely more satisfying than a delicious meal, or cool glass of water.

Self Reflection:

Am I looking to anything or anyone else for ultimate satisfaction besides Jesus?

Do I really believe Jesus when He says doing God's will is more satisfying than having my physical needs met?

Is it possible that when God removes physical comfort from my life in some way, He is lovingly showing me that only He can satisfy, and I need to rely on Him alone?