Jesus' Food and Drink is Doing the Father's Will
The question of what drives a person's actions and decisions is a profound one, and it is answered in the Scripture. Jesus' statement in John 4:34, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work," highlights the central motivation of his life and ministry. This truth addresses the heart of every believer, for it reveals that their ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment come from doing the will of their Father.
Paul writes that believers are to be conformed to the image of Christ, and this conformity is rooted in a deepening understanding of God's will and a growing desire to obey it. The Reformed tradition emphasizes the doctrine of sanctification, which is the process by which believers are made more like Christ, and this process is fueled by a passion to do God's will. A common misconception is that this passion is something that believers must manufacture on their own, but Scripture teaches that it is a work of the Holy Spirit, who enables believers to desire and to do God's will.
This truth has profound implications for the Christian life, for it means that believers are not driven by their own desires or strengths, but by the power of God at work in them. As they seek to do God's will, they are reminded of their own weakness and insufficiency, and they are driven to rely more fully on the grace of God. This is a gospel-centered truth, for it reminds believers that their salvation is not just a past event, but a present reality that is shaping them into the image of Christ.