Food That Endures

Food That Endures

Read: John 6:26-27

“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life.”

John 6:27

“Learn to hold loosely all that is not eternal.”

—Maud Royden

IN WORD One of the saddest moments in a person’s life may be in facing later years and knowing deep inside that his or her life has been invested in passing things. Facing eternity, what will last? What has been invested in the real world, the kingdom of God?

We work hard, spend much money and time, and agonize over decisions that may only help us for a few decades, at best. And while we may have legitimate responsibilities in this life that keep us occupied, we too easily become absorbed in the here and now. All the while, we squander opportunities to invest in eternal treasures.

Other than God Himself, only two things are mentioned in Scripture as lasting forever: the Word of God and the souls of human beings. These two areas are where Jesus calls us to involve ourselves. No genuine investment in them will spoil; they are the “food that endures.”

IN DEED Once every few weeks, Christians should take inventory of their lives. How do we spend our time? How do we spend our money? Where is our energy going? What do we think about when we lie down at night and when we wake up in the morning? When we face our later years, what will we see that is lasting? When the world itself passes away, what of our work will remain? Answering these questions regularly will keep our lives on track and give us focus. They will direct us well.

Jesus gives us very clear instructions in approaching these questions. “Do not work for food that spoils,” He tells us. Our lives should be entirely eternity-focused. We were created to bear fruit that lasts (John 15:16). When we invest ourselves in anything else, we are falling short of our purpose, missing the abiding joy of kingdom fruitfulness. Work for food that endures.