WHAT SATISFIES HIS HUNGER?

Jesus answered his disciples’ request for faith in this way. He told them: “Which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?…So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do” (Luke 17:7–8, 10).

 

Christ is speaking here of us, his servants, and of God, our Master. He’s telling us we’re to feed God. You may wonder, “What kind of food are we supposed to bring to the Lord? What satisfies his hunger?”

 

The Bible tells us, “Without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6). Simply put, God’s most delectable dish is faith. That’s the food that pleases him.

 

We see this illustrated throughout Scripture. When a centurion asked Jesus to heal his sick servant by merely speaking a word, Christ feasted on the man’s vibrant faith. He replied, “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel” (Matthew 8:10). Jesus was saying, “Here’s a Gentile, an outsider, who’s feeding my spirit. What a nourishing meal this man’s faith is giving me.”

 

I notice in Jesus’ words a blunt statement: “You don’t eat first. I do.” In others words, we are not to consume our faith on our own interests and needs. Rather, our faith is meant to satisfy our Lord’s hunger. “Make ready wherewith I may sup…and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken: and afterward thou shalt eat.”