When Jesus met the woman at the well, we read, “Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.” (John 4:6 partial). When His disciples returned with food, “Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.” John 4:34
Now, we find Jesus feeding thousands of people with five barley loaves and two small fish. (Side note: You can do a great work with a little something and a lot of Jesus.) The people recognize the miracle and continue to follow Jesus across the Sea of Galilee. How does Jesus respond? “Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, 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 sent.”” John 6:26-29
The miraculous is happening to this day by the work of the Holy Spirit for sure. The work that Jesus is speaking of can be easily overlooked though. The greatest work is to see people put their faith in Jesus and addictions be broken, old lifestyle patterns ended, victories over past hurt and pain, and lives being transformed for the glory of God. Doing the work of a follower of Christ nourishes our souls much more than our next meal does. Feeling empty? Serve someone in the name of Jesus. Want to see the miraculous? Pray for and share the life-transforming, soul-shaking, miracle-working Gospel of Jesus with those around you. We all got to eat but don't get caught up in laboring for your next meal and miss out on the wonderful works of God.
- To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.