Desire The Word
If you struggle to desire the word, this may be helpful.
1st Peter 2:1-2
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Let’s walk through this text logically:
Put away all malice (the intention or desire to do evil), deceit, hypocrisy.... do you have those? Is your private life and your public life different? The self you present to everyone and the self you truly are behind closed doors... If that's you, don't fall into despair, for this text is for you. This text is God's gift of hope that you can be new. Can be holy. And Peter is going to explain how we can begin - but it's going to take action on your part. We can't just ask God and sit around, no, we ask and then “we act the miracle” (John Piper).
Newborn infants long for the spiritual milk
Some commentators take this text, when it says “newborn infants”, that Peter is only referring to baby christians, those new to the faith. But after reading the whole of the book and closely examining verse 2, we see this isn't talking about immature Christians. Notice the word “like”. He isn’t describing who we are so much as the posture of what we should be like.
In Matthew 18:3 - Jesus says we must be childlike. Here Peter is echoing this type of language. Whatever our stage of spiritual development, we are to remain childlike. Needy. Trusting. Relying. Listening. And this text is saying one of the ways we do that is to treat the Word of God in the same way a newborn infant LONGS for milk.
A newborn infant needs milk.
Now, if we are honest, we may say I don't resonate with this text because it's been a long time since I longed for the Word. Well, let's let the text help us with that. Do you even see that you need the word?
This is a physical metaphor of a spiritual reality. If your spiritual life feels dry, cracked, stuck, limping, faithless, cold, dead... the question that needs to be asked is this... what are you drinking?
The word, which is the spiritual milk, provides affection.
The milk for a baby is only one component, for where does milk come from? Mothers. They didn't have sippy cups back then. Breast feeding is an intimate moment between the supplier and the needy one. The baby is cradled in the mothers arms, held close. The mothers affections are on the child both in heart and in action and the child receives both affection and life giving milk.
In the same way, our being in the Word is a place where we are in fellowship with God. We meet with Him. Think about the power of God's word. Creation, he speaks and things happen. He gives Moses his words to put on tablets. He speaks through prophets, Jesus is called "the word"... the holy scriptures are a precious thing. God did not have to give us His words. We are owed nothing. yet, God has given us this gift. Do you see it as a gift? A gift of love and a place to feel His affections on you in fellowship with him?
The word, which is the spiritual milk, provides nutrients.
In this fellowship, as a baby receives nutrients that build up through the milk, we are built up through the Word. Here we are encouraged, we are helped to have endurance, we are given hope, love, peace, weights are lifted, burdens removed, griefs comforted, anger stifled, silence met with words of peace, noise drowned out by stillness, hurried people are calmed... this all happens in the Word. gentle.... How do you make it in this life without the word?
The word, which is the spiritual milk, provides enzymes.
Just as enzymes break down certain proteins in a healthy way, so the Word of God will discipline us, work us over, and offer us tough words out of love that we need.
In the word we are built up: Hebrews 12:
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?…Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
In the word we are disciplined when we need it, out of love. He will speak a tough word to us, he will tell us when we are drifting, he will warn us of the danger of sin and rebellion. See discipline less as a screaming father who is annoyed and more as a loving father who will deal with you in such a way that is for your good, even if it stings a little.
We get these things from the Word.
Steady diet
We need a steady diet of the Word, daily. A baby cant drink seven gallons of milk on Monday and be ok Tuesday-Sunday. It doesn't work that way, the baby would die. We try this all the time though, but we need realistic, healthy Christians need steady diets of the word.
If we want to continually grow and mature as a Christian, we must long for the pure spiritual milk (which is the Word) just like a newborn baby. We cannot grow on our own. The Bible offers us a place to fellowship with God and receive His words. In it He can encourage, build up, convict, heal, grant peace, and a million other things we need.
Staying needy and staying in the Word,
Josh.
