Saturday, September 7, 2013

LONGING TO GROW

LONGING TO GROW
READ:
1 Peter 1:22-2:3

As newborn babes, desire
the pure milk of the Word,
that you may grow thereby.
-1 Peter 2:2

The 2010 documentary film Babies followed four infants who were born into very different circumstances in Namibia, Mongolia, Tokyo, and San Francisco.  There is no narration or dialogue from adults in the film, only the sounds babies make as they begin to discover the world into which they have been born.  They coo and laugh when they’re happy; they cry when they are hurt or hungry.  And all of them like milk!  The fascination of the film lies in watching them grow.

As a baby craves milk, followers of Christ are to crave the “pure milk of the Word” that leads to spiritual growth.  The apostle Peter says, “Long to grow up into the fullness of your salvation; cry for this as a baby cry for his milk” (1 Peter 2:2 TLB).  Peter wrote to encourage a group of Christ-followers who had been scattered by persecution.  He urged them to set aside feelings of anger and jealousy toward each other, along with talking one way and living another (v.1), and “as a newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby” (v.2).

The Lord invites us to drink all that we need from His bountiful supply.  He loves to watch His children grow! – David McCasland

Lord, I want to be more like You.
Please give me a fervent desire to drink of
Your Word.  Grow me into a person who
Resembles You in all I say and do.
*********************************************
The more we dig into God’s Word, the more we grow.

INSIGHT
On the day of Pentecost, Peter, who had earlier denied the Lord three times, now preached a message that powerfully proclaimed the cross.  As a result, 3,000 people followed the Savior (Acts 2).  Like James, Hebrews, and the letters of John, Peter’s letters are listed as “general” epistles because they were not directed to a particular congregation, unlike most of Paul’s letters.  This letter bearing Peter’s name was directed toward Jewish followers of Christ who had been driven out of Jerusalem due to persecution and had scattered to Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and settled in “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Peter 1:1).

Have a blessed day.
God Our Creator’s Love Always
Unity & Peace


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