Throughout history, there has always been a temptation of the temporal. 2 Corinthians 4:18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. [1] As a believer, when you begin spending time with God and His word, your priorities start to shift as you focus on the eternal values of what you’re doing in life.
Perhaps you’ve gone through this in your life or are experiencing it right now. After Jesus fed the 5000, people began to seek Him, but it was only for more food. The temptation of this world blinded them to what was truly important. As Jesus dialogued with them, He tried to shift their focus from worldly concerns to eternal matters.
John 6:25 They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” [2]
God Calls Us Out of Darkness
In God’s mercy, He calls us out of darkness into His marvelous light. This happened to a middle-aged man I knew several years ago. While battling cancer with only months to live, the Holy Spirit prompted his caretaker to tell him about Jesus. With great compassion, she shared Jesus with him each day, and one day, he wanted to see her pastor. Not long after, our pastor prayed with him and baptized him after he asked Jesus into his heart.
My fellow pastor said that after his baptism, his entire countenance changed. As the Holy Spirit entered his heart, a dying man found hope and was able to see beyond this life to eternal life. For a man who had never picked up God’s Word, he became a daily reader. Before passing away, he asked for his Bible to be placed on his chest in the casket as a symbol of his hope in eternal life. For all of us, there will be a day we step into eternity, and for some, it will come without warning. No matter when our time comes, knowing Jesus as our Savior gives us the hope of eternal life.
Spend Your Energy Seeking Eternal Life
Just as Jesus spoke to the people of that day, He also speaks to us. He wants everyone to look to Him as the one who provides the food that leads to eternal life. Maybe you have drifted from the Lord and spent your time pursuing the world, but the Lord is calling you back. Or perhaps you are growing in faith, and the Lord is drawing you into a deeper relationship with Him.
However, the Lord is changing you; He wants you to put energy into seeking Him. Don’t give in to the temptation of the temporal. There is nothing more satisfying in life than to deepen our relationship with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come![3] This is God’s desire for you! Praise the Lord. To find out more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/jesus-said-i-am-the-bread-of-life
[1,3] The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). Zondervan.
[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jn 6:25–27). Tyndale House Publishers.