John 4:27-42

February 1, 2008

I’ve still got some catching up to do in John after my few days off from blogging last week, so I will post twice today on some reflections from John 4 and begin chapter 5 tomorrow.  I have to spend much of today in sermon preparation, so I probably will not get to any more of my Pursuing Gospel-Centeredness posts today.  I will try to resume them tomorrow, or next week.

In this passage the words that stood out to me were Jesus’ words in verse 34,

“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.“

How I long that this were my attitude toward serving my heavenly Father.  Today ‘accomplishing His work’ means working on a sermon from Matthew 6 on the good and bad eye.  How I wish I could say that sustenance and nourishment were found in doing that work today.  Instead, I feel like taking a nap…or reading something about the Super Bowl on espn.com…or reading a book…or playing with my daughter…or taking a nap! 

I want to do God’s will, but my heart so often feels divided.  I am not going to get into a Romans 7 discussion, but there are many times in my service of the Lord where I feel the way Paul describes himself in that passage.  Whether he is describing his experience as a believer or unbeliever is really irrelevant, because I know I am a believer, and yet I still feel like that divided man sometimes.  My feelings are not a good barometer of what is true, but they still need to be dealt with and brought into conformity with God’s commands.

As I read this passage, I found myself admiring Jesus because there was never such a division in His heart.  As I find deep satisfaction in a thanksgiving feast, or a mint chocolate brownie (which Michelle made a wonderful batch of the other day!), so Jesus felt deep satisfaction in doing God’s will, and accomplishing the work that the Father had given Him to do. 

This does not need to be confined to having devotions or sharing the Gospel, but any work that God has called us to.  There are teachers who read this blog, chiropractors, professional basketball players, stay-at-home moms, computer technicians, and maybe many others.  Today I have no driving lessons, but that time will come again soon.  May God give us eyes to see that all of that work, if done with gratitude to God and a desire to honor Him, is part of God’s design for His people and should therefore be deeply satisfying. 

Like Jesus, may we find a satisfaction deeper than eating chocolate brownies in doing the work that God has called us to on this day!

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Gospel of John, Seeking Him 

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