Living WaterSýnishorn

Spiritual food

“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.’” (John 4:34)

Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well stopped when the disciples came back with some food. They offered Jesus something to eat, but He used the opportunity to talk about spiritual things. Just as He took the water from the well as an image for his “living water”, so He used ordinary food as a comparison for “doing the will of God”.

When humans are working, they need food to give them strength. So, they need sources of power from outside themselves. Jesus’ source of energy and strength was to do the task that God had given Him. He was a man who got hungry and thirsty. See John 4:6, where we read: “Jesus, wearied as He was from his journey, was sitting beside the well”. But He was also God, and this gave Him supernatural energy and strength.

What was Jesus’ task that strengthened Him? It was giving people eternal life. See John 10:10, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly”. And in John 12:49-50, Jesus explains: “The Father who sent Me has Himself given Me a commandment … his commandment is eternal life.” Jesus had done God’s will by sharing the Gospel with the woman at the well!

What gives you strength, besides natural food?