31Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”
33“Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other.
34Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.35You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.36The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!37You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true.38I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”
Jesus had a food his disciples knew nothing about, and too often we don’t either.
Food sustains life. Without food we will all die. In the United States we don’t have a real appreciation for this but much of the rest of the world does. At Jesus’ time in Israel, the average person knew and understood how vital and important food was. Many would have known and understood hunger. When the Bible talks about food, it is serious business.
Jesus is so engrossed in fulfilling his Father’s mission, that it has become his food. It is what sustains him, gives him energy, and moves him forward. He is both motivated by it, and fulfilled by it (like food!). Jesus challenges his disciples, and us, to look around at the the harvest that is waiting and to become engrossed in the harvest like he was and is. We may be the planter, or we may be the harvester, but we will all rejoice at the harvest.
Lord, help me to become engrossed in your mission for me in this life. Change me so I live, breath, drink and eat your life and your salvation. *obbs*
