Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, - 1 Peter 2:2 (NIV)
Reflect:
Prayerfully consider how much you’ve grown spiritually in the past year.
What did you consume that contributed to your spiritual growth the most? What
do you think hindered your spiritual growth the most?
When my children were babies, I read a lot of research about
the benefits of a mother’s milk. It is astonishing to me that a mother’s milk
contains everything a baby needs to be well-nourished. Even if a baby is only
nursed for the first few days after birth, they receive powerful antibodies
that give their little immune systems a strong foundation for life.
The fact that I found most amazing is that a mother’s milk
changes and adapts as a baby grows and his needs change. For example, if mom or
baby is fighting an illness, mom’s body will release more immune cells into the
milk. I even discovered that some researchers believe milk content changes
based on the time of day with evening milk containing relaxing components to
prompt sleepiness! The more I learned, the more I stood in awe of our awesome
Creator - His design is perfect!
In today’s verse, the apostle Peter urged believers to be
like newborns and “long for the pure spiritual milk” (the milk being God’s
Word). But here Peter wasn’t calling all of them immature “baby believers”. He
was reminding them that we never outgrow our need for the perfect, sustaining
nourishment of Scripture.
All three of my babies instinctively sought out milk almost
immediately after birth - it was their strongest desire. Likewise, God’s Word
should always be our strongest desire because it meets our greatest need - fellowship
with God.
Dr. Wayne Grudem wrote: “To drink the milk of the Word is to
‘taste’ again and again what he is like, for in the hearing of the Lord’s words
believers experience the joy of personal fellowship with the Lord himself.”
I have been abundantly blessed to have grown up in a
Christian home because I was exposed to God’s Word even from a very young age
and that had a profound impact on my spiritual development. Still, I can attest
to the fact that it doesn’t matter how long we’ve been believers or how much we
have grown spiritually. We will need the perfect nourishment of Scripture our
entire lives.
Now, the content of a mother’s milk may change to meet her
baby’s needs, but the content of the Word of God never changes. Still,
regardless of my season of life or my circumstances, Scripture provides just
what I need in that stage of life to grow and develop spiritually.
If I need encouragement, comfort, or hope I can find it in
His Word. If I need wisdom and guidance for life, I can find it in His Word. If
I need to be challenged to think and grow, I can find it in His Word. If I need
to be rebuked or convicted of sin, well, THAT seems to
find me in His Word. Most importantly, if I am seeking truth
and want to know who God is and how I can be made right with Him, I can find it
in God’s Word.
While a mother’s milk perfectly meets the nutritional needs
of their baby, babies eventually grow and mature beyond their need to be
nursed. But believers never outgrow our need for “the pure spiritual milk”. We
should never think that we don’t need to open our Bibles anymore because we’ve
already read it or because we’ve graduated from seminary or because we
memorized verses as a kid or because we hear a message from it every Sunday. If
spiritual growth is the goal, Scripture provides the nourishment that drives
that growth. May we always long for “the pure spiritual milk” no matter how old
we are.
Pray:
Lord, thank You for Your Word. I have tasted and I have seen that You are
good (Psalm 34:8)! I have trusted in You for salvation. Now, help me to grow up
in that salvation. Use the nutrition of Your Word to transform, renew,
strengthen, and sanctify me so that I can develop and mature in Christ. Keep me
longing for Your Word because my greatest desire is fellowship with You. Amen.
- Nat Crawford (Provided by "Back To The Bible")