The Most Important Thing You Will Do In Life

“Do not labor for the food which perishes,
but for the food which endures to everlasting life,
which the Son of Man will give you,
because God the Father has set his seal on him.”
John 6:27

Jesus said that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). So the question is - what is your treasure? Most labor for “the food which perishes.” What Jesus is saying here though, is that he counsels us to labor for the food that endures for all eternity.

How do we do that? Don’t we have to labor to sustain ourselves?

Of course. But Jesus is speaking here of one’s primary focus. The apostle Paul was a tent maker, but his focus was on the Kingdom of God. He did what he had to do to provide for himself, but his heart was in preaching the Gospel. His tent-making made him able to provide for himself without having to ask anyone for money, but the labor of his heart produced “food that endures to everlasting life.” He had the right focus. And to this day, his epistles continue to bring life to thousands upon thousands who turn to them for guidance.

Continuing on with the discussion Jesus was presenting to his followers:

“Then they said to him,
‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’
Jesus answered and said to them,
‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent.’”
John 6:28-29

That is, the focus of our lives should be presenting the Gospel to a lost and dying world, that they might hear and turn to Jesus whom God sent to bring them eternal life. Before Jesus left this earth he gave his followers what has come to be known as “the great commission:”

“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.
He who believes and is baptized will be saved;
but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
Mark 16:15-16

Do you have a heart for those who are condemned?

We’re just passing through this life, on our way to our eternal home. During this time we have been given the commission to bring to all we can - the message of the Gospel, and that is - that we are fallen, sin-filled human beings, lost whether we know it or not, and that Jesus came to provide the atonement for us, dying in our place, bearing in himself on the Cross the judgment on our sins and bringing into new life all who will believe and receive him (2nd Corinthians 5:17).

One can spend his whole life seeking fulfillment in a career, but that career will come to an end. OR - one can spend his whole life seeking to bring the Gospel to the lost, and he will reap the eternal satisfaction of seeing the souls that will be saved for all eternity.

“But I can’t preach,” you might say.

Every believer is endowed with talents and abilities unique to him or her, given to him/her by almighty God. Seek to know from God how to use them in service to him. Your life can be a demonstration of the Gospel. It’s your choice.

If you “hear” the heart of this message, take it to the Lord and ASK him to show you HOW to use what he has invested in you to serve him. This will necessitate that you set aside TIME to spend before him, seeking his will and plan for your life. If you can, get away alone for a weekend - or a day - whatever you CAN do, to spend time before God in fasting and prayer, seeking to know from him how you can use what he has put within you to serve him. After your salvation, this is the most important thing you will do in life.