Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.
Every other Sunday evening, our senior high students and young adults meet for the ministry “The Fireplace.” This ministry is a discussion based ministry in which those who attend are encouraged, but not pressured, to share whatever they are struggling with or questioning, as well as how God has been blessing and moving in them of late. There is no set format in our time together other than to have a willing ear to hear what God has to say about every issue of life. The leaders facilitate the meeting, but everyone’s voice is valued as we share what the Word of God has to say about every aspect of our lives.
In this midst of this time of change and chaos, our world can be discouraging. But for me, “The Fireplace” has been a treasure. It is a time where God’s presence is powerfully obvious. It is a time in which we can feel God working. When we can watch him direct His Word into the hearts and minds of the people around the fire. It is a time, above all else, about the Lord. Regardless of the topics discussed, one does not leave these meetings thinking that these discussions have been primarily about those topics. It is always, always, always about Christ. What a blessing! What a rejuvenation!
And this indeed is what our Lord speaks of when they return and find him speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” What satisfied our Lord, what met his hunger, was doing the will of the Father.
The disciples return to the village to find him doing the very thing that satisfied him—sharing the gospel. Sharing the message of hope and freedom through truth.
I am so deeply blessed when I see our people doing the same! It is a balm to my soul to hear Jesus being exalted and his truth, love and grace being shared. Nothing encourages and excites me more than to see people fall so deeply in love with Jesus that they cannot get enough of Him! How wonderful when they begin to see Him working through every situation of their lives. How marvelous when they long to give Him glory in every situation in order to draw all the more closer to Him and be used by Him to do the same for others. Nothing fills me with more joy!
Oh, but how glorious to know that our Savior himself took such joy! That He would be so moved over one woman’s changed life and her witness to her community, that He, who was before the beginning, would be excited enough to refuse food! This is our Messiah! Not cold, calculating and unemotional—but a Christ who can’t eat for his joy at fulfilling His Father’s will! How beautiful is our Savior!
Would that we would be like Him. Our eyes fixed on our God to such a degree that no other concern, no other goal holds sway over us. Would that Christ’s goals be our goals! Would that we might desire above all things to be used to further His kingdom in the hearts and lives of all those we relate to.
Beloved, when we allow the Spirit to conform us to His image our greatest concern and our greatest joy will reflect His.
Regardless of the well at which we meet our own Samaritan…may our Father equip us and find us ready to do His will. May we find satisfaction in the harvest He provides.
In gratefulness and love,
Pastor Brian Torres