03/24/2022
As men and women of God we do many things of faith while following Jesus with our crosses on our shoulders. We feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, comfort the dying, and so many other acts of mercy. We love God, love others, give hope to the hopeless, and open our hearts to those who walk through the world invisible to everyone around them, but as we are busily doing all of these things we should never neglect our own spiritual growth. Sometimes we are so busy doing the THINGS of faith that we forget to nurture, and grow our own faiths. In this way we live perpetually in a state of shallow spiritual immaturity.
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.”
Hebrews 5:12-13 ESV
Many of us fall into a common habit; we read the Bible in such a way that we learn about the stories presented there, and drink them in like milk, but that is as far as we go… we never delve into the depths of God’s Word, and learn how those stories mean so much more than what we understand by simply reading them in cursory fashion… as spiritual children. In truth we are to grow in the Word, and to learn to eat its meat.
“And he said to me, “Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.””
Ezekiel 3:1 ESV
It is rare for a child to like complex tastes. As babies they like milk, then they learn to enjoy a little cereal in their milk, and this growing desire for more, and more, complex tastes continues until at last they are adults and their tastes are such that the milk they once found sufficient is now just one of many ingredients in the gourmet dishes they eat. It is the same in our spiritual birth and progression to adulthood; our taste for God’s Word, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to grow until one day we realize the height, depth, and width, of our faith has grown to immense proportion, and that over the years God has been feeding us a diet that has brought us to the place where we now enjoy the taste of His complexity, and long for even more.
““But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it.”
Ezekiel 2:8-9 ESV
Yet, as we grow in maturity, keep this in mind… although our taste grows more accepting, and desirous of complex foods, the milk we once fed on remains an essential ingredient. What would Macaroni and Cheese be without milk? What would Chicken Tetrazzini be without milk, and the slightly more mature tastes of butter, and sour cream? As we walk the way on our journey of faith, we advance by taking it step by step. We are meant to grow in our faith, but we always bring along with us the knowledge obtained, and those things we remember, from the earliest days of our pilgrimage.
““Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,”
Isaiah 46:8-9 ESV
Where are we today in our spiritual walk? Have we grown, and what foods have we learned to eat along the way? Have we advanced beyond the simple revelations and tastes that God has placed in His Word, or have we settled into a comfortable place and cuisine? Are we satisfied with the milder tastes of mercy, or have we advanced beyond offering the simple things to others? Is the glass of milk we once shared with them still our offering, or has it grown to include a loaf of bread, or a piece of meat? What do we teach, and what mercy do we offer?
“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’””
Acts 20:35 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the milk, the bread, the meat, and every good thing you offer us in your Holy Word. Help us to develop a taste for the scroll you offer us to eat, and for the growth we receive from consuming every good Word it contains. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who raises us up in faith. Praised be your name for each and every bite we take of your Word, and the spiritual nutrition we receive from it. Merciful are you who sent your Son Jesus to walk with us, and your Holy Spirit to give us remembrance, and understanding. Speak your Word into us Father for this is the manna, and the meat, which you feed us, and that matures us in you. Wash us clean in the blood of Christ, and give us His body and blood to nourish us in righteousness. Once we have grown sufficiently mature, judge us to be acceptable to you, pleasing in your sight, and worthy to be called your children. Lift us up to sit before you, and listen as we sing of your amazing grace, goodness, love, and every new thing we will learn of you. Feed us at your table forevermore.
Rich Forbes