Food, Sustenance

 

Food, Sustenance

^{John 4:34 “}Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”

^{Ephesians 3:16 “}That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”

Sustenance: food and drink regarded as a source of strength; nourishment

     What sustains you?  Surely physical food is consumed and the waste is deposited .  An endless cycle we engage in till our bodies rest.  All to imbibe and break down chemicals as needed for the continuance of our existence.  “You will not surely die.”  No they didn’t, but they did.  God knows the inner man, the spiritual man is more critical.  Meat and drink only enrich so much.  “Skin for skin.  All that a man has will he give for his life.”  Yes, Job’s outer body went through hell.  His person was touched, but what of his spirit?

     The two are inseparable and influence each other greatly.  Mind, body, soul, spirit.  All one.  To deprive a part is to send the whole being off balance.  What builds up the mind are meditations.  The body eats the tangible food.  The soul feeds on the good encounters of feelings.  The spirit builds with what?

     Jesus said He was carried along by His works.  Inner strength He found by doing the Father’s will. In other words, the Father’s approval meant more to Him that a sit down meal with the guys.

     “Go!  Go!  Go!”  You could almost hear God’s voice from the sidelines rooting His Son on.  What football player would think less of his belly when the home crowd was cheering for him?  Gallantly he would embrace the field and enact his training to defeat the opponent. So the picture of Jesus.

     Miracle Man.  All eyes on Him as He did the unexpected and supernatural.  What herbal food or vegan diet could energize His body to play the game?  A meager diet of lamb and lentils did not drive the Man into conduction.  He did not wake up each morning thinking, “I wonder what Mary has going for breakfast?”

     Spiritual food.  Our purpose that pervades all.  When physical food fails, we carry on.  Past the headache and weakness, we push to meet our goal.  When accomplished, our spirit rejoices even if our members wane.

     What work has He called you to today?  I bet you don’t schedule out meals into the future to meet your need like the thought given to His calling.  Meat and drink we pick up anywhere as He provides.  It is the upward calling of maturity exercising His holiness which covers all and gives breath to our inner selves.

     It is another type of thinking.  What sustains us?  What gets us off the couch and into the game?  It isn’t pizza.  Coffee only goes so far in its excitement.  Something sparks our spirit.  The mind understands.  The soul confirms.  We launch out into another day in faith knowing He is there to meet us.  Spirit to spirit as we see His smiling face again.

     I think this filled Jesus’ tank.  It was His “go power.”  Something drove His spirit in such a way that no man could stop until He hit the cross.  Three years of full time ministry amongst thronging masses pressing in to just touch the Healer.  Late nights, empty bellies, and nowhere to consistently lay His head.  On the road, He was the travelling preacher with messages that confronted the status quo.  Tension of the moment gave way to a sudden stop in compassion for a blind man on the way.  Our Jesus was some kind of Man running on more than what simple food could provide.

     Jesus had purpose.  That was His food.  In it He ate richly.