Do Not Work for the Food that Perishes

What are you pursuing in your life? Are you looking for a better job, a healthier lifestyle, more time off or personal happiness? While these pursuits are good, they are not the best. What is the BEST thing that we can pursue? That which endures, that doesn’t rot or fade away. Jesus says that there is, “food which endures into eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.”
 
“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God has set His seal.” Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “this is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” John 6:27-29
 
After the miracle of loaves, the crowd pursued Jesus only for provision of food that met temporary needs, “food that rots.” Their efforts should have been directed toward eternal life, the food that does not perish, the food that nurtures the soul unto eternal life. How do you do that? How do you pursue eternal food? The crowd’s idea was to do works of work; this is mans vision of gaining eternal life. Doing things like charity, kind acts, obedience to the law or even religion are works of work.
 
Jesus on the other hand said, “This is work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” The work of faith is accomplished by believing in Jesus as the Son of God and obeying Him. Believing God and obeying are parallel ways to acknowledge faith and dependence on God. Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father; and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” (John 14:21, 23).
 
What are you working for? Are you working for that which rots or that which endures? Food that rots will always leave you feeling empty and hungry, the food that is eternal feeds your soul and will always satisfy.
 
This week may you make God smile.
 
Pastor Cary Wacker

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