(Audio)
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
We need to ask the LORD to raise our minds to care more about spiritual things than concerns of the flesh. It is obvious that if we care too much for life here below that we won't be able to follow Jesus as martyrs. It is less obvious all the ways in which preferring our earthly lives to our heavenly destiny causes little betrayals on our part. This even extends to the smallest details of someone arguing about a coupon with the cashier in front of us making us impatient rather than loving. It skirts under the radar as someone races past us in a construction lane merge on the freeway. The freeway and the grocery store can be hard places to set our minds on the food that endures for eternal life, but we can, and we must.
We ask, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?"
We're sure that if we just get where we're going faster, control all the variables perfectly, that the work of God will be accomplished. If we play our part well enough, we tell ourselves, there will be no more pain, sadness or tears, anymore. But this is not our part.
Jesus answered and said to them,
"This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent."
Our part is to believe in Jesus. We do the work before us with that as our base, our confidence, and our hope. Jesus is the one who will wipe away the tears and bring sorrow to an end.
When we truly live by faith our small betrayals will cease. We'll be able to stand firm like Stephen, proclaiming the Kingdom amidst even aggressive opposition. And we will maintain our peace.
All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him
and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
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