Too Busy To Eat...

Being Mother's Day, yesterday my mom-in-law came over for the day. This is a lady that I treasure dearly. :) If everyone had a mother-in-law like her, mother-in-law jokes would not exist. Now, I'm not saying that she's perfect, but she is a dear sweet woman of God who has enriched my life.

Anyways, I read a passage from the bible this morning that reminded me of something she said on the weekend. She was so busy moving gravel and doing up her garden that she forgot to eat and by the end of the day, she was too tired to eat.

The passage was from John 4:31-38

31Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?" 34Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' 38I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

Jesus would not eat when the disciples urged him to. His response was "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work."

Now my mom-in-law is a lady who likes to keep busy. And when she works, she works hard. She will often get so busy that food...ah... that becomes a by-line, easily forgotten. And she will often work so hard that she is too tired to eat.

I read this passage this morning and I thought...ah...that's kinda what meant. That we need, as Christians, to be so busy about the work that God has laid out before us, that eating isn't so all the important to us.

I don't know if you've noticed how "me" focused this world has become. And how it has also invaded the church. We want what we want when we want it. And it's sometimes gets in the way of "being about the Father's business."

Mom's words reminded me of how sometimes I am like that... that I know I should do 'thus and such' because it is good and right and part of God's calling for my life, BUT I decide that I would rather do _________ (fill in the blank) and I put off what I really should be doing.

I'm reminded by Jesus' words here, and by my mom-in-law's example, that I shouldn't be like that. My goal, my DESIRE should be always "to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work".

There is so much that needs to be done to further the kingdom of God. The fields are still white to the harvest. And my spot in the kingdom of God does have it's place and duties and I must needs put aside my own personal "wants" to do HIS will. That must needs be my priority. And it's good to know that I am not alone in this.

Will you also become "too busy to eat"?