Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Mike Caton

John 4:32-33, 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?”

Were the disciples really that concerned with Jesus’ physical condition, and would missing one meal really hurt any of us? Or did they urge him to eat out of a lack of anything else to say, when they saw him talking to this woman? But Jesus tells them he has something else that nourishes and sustains him. He has something that is much better than physical food. And the disciples really don’t get it at this point. Jesus doesn’t expect them to and they don’t disappoint here.

They immediately jump on the statement, did someone bring him food that we are not aware of? On other occasions Jesus warned the disciples about the yeast of the religious leaders, they thought it was because they had forgotten bread. But Jesus had something else in mind there as well, their teaching. We humans far too often, focus on the physical. And I suppose that is understandable, we are physical beings after all. We have physical aches and pains. Our stomachs growl. We see and feel and experience things in our physical world. But we are also spiritual beings, and we need to learn to be more in focus with that side of ourselves. We need more than physical bread to eat, as Jesus pointed out when Satan tempted him to change stones into bread. We need more than water from a well to drink, as Jesus told this woman about the living water. We need to remember to nourish our souls! How sad is a physically fat man with a shriveled soul?

Father, help me find true spiritual nourishment. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works part time with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

READ ABOUT MORE COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS HERE. 

ALSO OF INTEREST:

Weekly Devotion – John 1:32-34