By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo.
Desire is key
1 Peter 2:1-3 “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” – NIV
Growth is a natural phenomenon. We grow in stature, knowledge, wisdom, experience, relationships, skill and everything else in life. When one ceases to grow, it is abnormal. Peter notes that there are things that one used to do, but should do them no more when they are in God. These include malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander which characterizes the old life as on grows in salvation. This means we outgrow certain things as other godly behaviours take root in our lives.
Taking an analogy of a little baby who must take milk to grow, we too are to desire with a craving level the spiritual milk of God’s word if we must grow. Craving has an element of want with all ones being like an addiction. To crave is to do anything to get what you want. God expects us to desire spiritual food passionately and continuously. Milk should graduate to solid food as growth progresses.
Such desire is inspired by a taste experience of God’s goodness one gets after coming to the Lord. Surely the Lord is good all the time. It causes worry to a parent whose child has lost appetite. Immediate actions are undertaken because it means trouble. Do you still have desire of a craving nature for spiritual food? Without it no spiritual grows happens. We should not lose that desire throughout our lives. If we do, death follows.
2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
Shalom children of God. Peaceful week