Like Newborn Babes

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Like Newborn Babes

The first instinct  of newborns  is to get some milk.     Whether it is a human baby  or any other mammal,  they have an instinctual longing  for the milk  that will nourish  and sustain them.     It is only natural  that they have a great desire  to suckle.

Peter wants us  to be just like newborn babes.     We have been born  into the family  of God.     If we are to sustain our life  as a child of God,  we’ve got to get  some pure nourishment  every day.    In 1 Peter 2:1-3,  he says  to every Christian,

Therefore,  putting aside all malice  and all guile  and hypocrisy  and envy  and all slander,  like newborn babes,  long for the pure milk  of the word,  that by it  you may grow  in respect to salvation,  if you have tasted  the kindness  of the Lord.

Just before saying this,  Peter reminded the Christians  that our lives  are very short.     Like grass,  we are here today  and gone tomorrow.     But,  even though our lives are short,  the word of God  is forever and ever.

Because our lives are short  and the word  of God  is eternal,  we must wise up  before it’s too late for us.     We’ve got to knock off  all malice within us.     Malice is the desire  to hurt others  and do mischief.     We’ve also got  to  put aside  all guile.     That is our tendency  to do things  on the sly — to be deceitful  and tricky.

We’ve got to stop  being hypocrites — pretending to be something  we are not.     We need  to quit being envious  of others  and slandering.     None of this kind  of evil  is to be a part  of our lives any more.

Instead,  we need to be  like newborn babes,  longing “for the pure milk of the word“.     We are  to want to hear  and learn  more and more  of God’s word.     We need  to instinctively realize  that our life depends  on knowing God’s word.     If God’s word  does not become a part  of our lives,  we will surely be starving  and may even die  spiritually.

Peter says  God’s word  will help us  to “grow  in respect  to salvation“.     Learning God’s word  will make us spiritually strong,  so that when temptations come — and they surely come every day — we will have the strength  and common sense  to not cave in  to those temptations.     We will actually be able  to realize  what is wrong  and what is right.

The people  of the world  often refuse  to admit what is right  and what is wrong.     That’s why it doesn’t bother them  to lie,  cheat,  slander,  commit adultery,  have abortions,  etc.     They let the thinking  of others  and their sinful desires  convince them  that these evil behaviors  are okay  because “everybody’s doing it”.     In fact,  it is these very kinds  of behaviors  that will condemn us  forever.

Those behaviors are  killing us —- not nourishing  and strengthening us.

So,  we really need  to “grow in respect to salvation”.     It’s vital  that we become strong  by feeding on “the pure milk of the word”.     As a child of God,  we should be longing  to snuggle up close  to our Savior  in this way  and feed on His word.     We need to realize  our weaknesses  and turn  to God’s word  for help.

Then Peter adds the big “IF”.     All this we will long  to do  “if” we “have tasted  the kindness  of the Lord.”     If we have learned  just enough  of God’s word  so that we can see  how wonderful God’s love  and kindness is,  then we will want  to stay close  to God  and learn more.     We will want  to get stronger  and stronger  in God’s way  of being.

When a rancher  or farmer  has a weak newborn lamb  or calf  that does not seem  to have a desire  to suckle,  he will bottle feed  that newborn.     Getting that first taste  of deliciously warm milk  (actually colostrum),  usually springs  that newborn into action,  and it begins  to suckle voraciously — like there’s no end  to its desire.

That’s what Peter wants us  to do.     Take that first taste  of the love  of God  in His word.     See what God has done  for us  in Christ.     Taste what real love  is all about.     Then we will surely want more  as we let God’s word  make us strong  and vigorous  in our faith  and in our living.

As we keep growing stronger  in God’s word,  we will say,  “Hallelujah!     Jesus’ love leads me  in His Way,  His Truth,  and His Life  to all eternity.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional  to glorify  the LORD of lords  and GOD of gods.

Pray for our country.

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The LORD  made this day, let us rejoice  and be glad  in Him.

Psalm 118:24

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The word of the LORD is tried;

He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.

Psalm 18:30

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Sing for joy  in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming  to the upright.

Psalm 33:1

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How blessed are those  who dwell  in Thy house!

They are ever praising Thee.

Psalm 84:4

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Just as a father  has compassion  on his children,

So the LORD  has compassion  on those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:13

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O give thanks  to the LORD,  for He is good;

For His lovingkindness  is everlasting.

Psalm 107:1

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Glory in His holy name;

Let the heart  of those who seek the LORD  be glad.

Psalm 105:3

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Not that I have already obtained it,  or have already  become perfect,   but I press on  in order that  I may  lay hold  of that  for which also  I was laid hold of  by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12

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