Hungry?

Food is big business.

According to one source, in 2023 Americans spent $1.5 trillion eating out and $1.1 trillion eating at home. ¹ That's a healthy (or not so healthy) amount to spend on food consumption. And, apologies for stating the obvious, we will continue to spend money on food because even after a very satisfying meal, we soon become hungry again. That's just life "under the sun."

But God sends out an invitation to those who realize that inside them there is a deeper hunger, a hunger that food cannot satisfy. He says,

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare." ²

Satisfying grub? Expensive fare? Abundance of drink? And all free? Maybe you're thinking like the woman at the well,

give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty ³

Or like the crowd that Jesus had just finished feeding with a lavish amount of bread and fish,

always give us this bread. ⁴

In the gospel of John, Jesus makes an outstanding claim - actually he makes this claim four times, as if for emphasis - and each time it is related to food,

I will raise them up at the last day. ⁵

When we come to him, we dine on abundance and when we believe, we drink in life. No more hunger, no more thirst. Jesus fills the deep chasm of our empty beings and meets our deepest need with himself. He is the bread from heaven, the well of living water,

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." ⁶

Jesus has promised that all those whom the Father has given to him will come to him (eat) and those who look upon him and believe (drink) will know the resurrection power of Christ. He has promised that those the Father has drawn to him will come (eat). Whoever comes and believes, he will raise to eternal life, free from guilt and condemnation, invited to dine upon the tree of life and drink from the river of living water. ⁷

Understand, Jesus offers us more than a temporarily satisfying meal - he offers us that which leads to eternal life; he offers us himself. Won't you come and eat, drink and believe, and find that satisfaction you've been searching for all your life?

References

¹ 2024 Consumer Dining Trends: How Americans Are Spending on Restaurants and Takeout - Escoffier

² Isaiah 55:1-2

³ John 4:15

⁴ John 6:34

⁵ John 6:39, 6:40, 6:44, 6:54

⁶ John 6:35

⁷ Revelation 22:1-2 - Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.