Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment. 1 Peter 2:2
While I'm still not a baby expert, I've learned some new things with our granddaughters, Blair and Georgiana. Babies eat, sleep–and the other thing–a lot. It seems to me that this schedule can be random for the first few months. "Hey, I'm hungry, time to wake up eat and other thing before my next nap." But after a while, a schedule is established, and things become predictable (more or less). Also, what the baby eats changes in that first year. While milk and formula are still part of their diet, babies move into the Gerber's stage, starting with pureed vegetables and eventually adding some meat. In the blink of an eye, that wee baby begins eating primarily solids, with bottles reserved for less frequent naptime. Eventually, the bottle disappear from the diet.
As a new Christian, spiritual milk is good. It is better than good; we should be like the baby who desires to eat frequently. Reading the Bible with no objective but learning the stories is okay. We go to church, listen to podcasts, watch TV preachers, and hear the stories explained. We need to start from the basics. Who is God? Who is Jesus? Who (What) is the Holy Spirit?
But as we mature, milk is not enough; it's time to start on the solids. These Bible stories are more than fables; they tell a story of God's love for humankind, starting before we were even created and culminating in Jesus' birth, ministry, death, and resurrection. In feeding on the substance of the Word, we begin to see new connections between the stories to see the broader context of God's grace and how he desires us to live.
Babies eat frequently because they are developing; their young bodies and minds require nutrients. Like babies, we, too, should feed frequently upon the Word. We can't become gluttonous with spiritual food—gluttony happens when we try to satisfy spiritual needs with food. In consuming the Word, we can be guilt-free; there are no harmful physical side effects. Quite the contrary, in feeding spiritual hunger, we nourish the soul with wisdom, insight, and insight.
Heavenly Father, we come before You with gratitude for Your Word. Your Word contains all we need for life and godliness. In a world where the foundation of our faith is under attack, we seek the lessons and cleansing power found in Scripture. Like newborn babes, we desire the sincere milk of Your Word. May it nourish our souls, help us grow in grace, and conform us to the image of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Strengthen our faith as we seek to follow You faithfully. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
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