Eternal Food

Eternal Food

Read: John 6:26-27

“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

John 6:27

“A life in thankfulness releases the glory of God.”

—Bengt Sundberg

IN WORD Thanksgiving is usually celebrated with lavish spreads of delicious food. We know it as a day of abundance. We eat and are satisfied—beyond satisfied, sometimes. We enjoy the bounty God has given in full measure.

We should always be so grateful. But we should also realize the greater blessing. Knowing God is an infinitely worthwhile treasure. Men and women throughout history have sought to fill their aching hearts with something lasting and truly satisfying—some have found it in the favor of God in Christ, but many have not found it at all. One of the saddest scenes in all humanity is the person who has tried to fill his internal void with all sorts of false pleasures—riches, relationships, beauty, power, and prestige. These things can give pleasure, but they cannot satisfy, and in the end they are gone. None of them lasts forever.

The food that Jesus provides lasts forever. Though scorned by many, it is of infinite worth. It is unimpressive to the material mind, but in the end it will be seen by all for what it is—priceless beauty and awesome privilege. Everyone—believer and unbeliever—will gaze at the gift of salvation and say, “That’s what my heart really desired all along.”

IN DEED The best Thanksgiving satisfies for a day, at most—or a week, if leftovers are included—but it doesn’t endure. It’s the gratitude that lasts, not the material gifts. And it’s the eternal gift that prompts eternal gratitude. If we really saw the value of each—food that spoils and food that endures—we’d never get the two confused. Remind yourself this Thanksgiving to really see the difference.