Uncivilized
By Sarah Walker
“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.”
1 Peter 2:2 (ESV)
By Sarah Walker
“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.”
1 Peter 2:2 (ESV)
Through Peter’s first letter, God
tells us that we are to long for spiritual milk. Many of us desire to see God
more abundantly in our lives and to see His transformative power at work. Many
of us desire to be more like Jesus and to see the fruit of the Spirit in our
lives. But how many times do we desire this inwardly, but externally are
unmoved? Do we keep our spiritual yearnings locked inside where they can’t be
“disruptive”?
Notice how Peter describes this longing we are to have. We are indeed to long for spiritual milk, but not in a neat, refined, or civilized way, but as a newborn infant longs for milk - - screaming and desperate for the nourishment, actively searching for it, and when the need begins to be met, latching on, never letting go, never letting anything distract us until we have had our fill. Once filled, we then can move on to other things and survive from that milk.
But only for a time. Just because we have had our fill once doesn’t mean that in another few hours we won’t be desperate for more. No, we will take all the energy and fuel we need from that milk, and then repeat the whole process over again. Not in a refined “please give me more milk whenever you get the time” kind of mentality. No, it is more in a “I need more milk now! Stop whatever is going on and feed me!” kind of attitude. We are designed to earnestly seek to be filled again and again.
Desperately needing to cling to Jesus, dependently holding the truths of God found in the Bible, does not mean we are failing! To the contrary! It is what we were designed to do. It is the very fuel we were made to live on.
When my first son was born, he was so motivated to nurse that he prioritized eating over breathing. He wanted milk so desperately that he turned blue from lack of oxygen rather than stopping to breathe! At times, we also will need to learn to prioritize things in a proper way for our own survival, but just like my son, we will figure it out eventually: it is what God designed us to do.
Notice how Peter describes this longing we are to have. We are indeed to long for spiritual milk, but not in a neat, refined, or civilized way, but as a newborn infant longs for milk - - screaming and desperate for the nourishment, actively searching for it, and when the need begins to be met, latching on, never letting go, never letting anything distract us until we have had our fill. Once filled, we then can move on to other things and survive from that milk.
But only for a time. Just because we have had our fill once doesn’t mean that in another few hours we won’t be desperate for more. No, we will take all the energy and fuel we need from that milk, and then repeat the whole process over again. Not in a refined “please give me more milk whenever you get the time” kind of mentality. No, it is more in a “I need more milk now! Stop whatever is going on and feed me!” kind of attitude. We are designed to earnestly seek to be filled again and again.
Desperately needing to cling to Jesus, dependently holding the truths of God found in the Bible, does not mean we are failing! To the contrary! It is what we were designed to do. It is the very fuel we were made to live on.
When my first son was born, he was so motivated to nurse that he prioritized eating over breathing. He wanted milk so desperately that he turned blue from lack of oxygen rather than stopping to breathe! At times, we also will need to learn to prioritize things in a proper way for our own survival, but just like my son, we will figure it out eventually: it is what God designed us to do.
GOING DEEPER:
1. How are you longing for God’s pure spiritual milk? Do you need to become less “civilized” and passive in your approach to obtaining it?
2. Use the Bible as your lifeline to receive God’s truth for your very sustenance.
1. How are you longing for God’s pure spiritual milk? Do you need to become less “civilized” and passive in your approach to obtaining it?
2. Use the Bible as your lifeline to receive God’s truth for your very sustenance.
Psalm 63:1-3; 1
Peter 1:22-2:3
Sarah is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons.
Sarah is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons.
