Grow Up

I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

(1 Corinthians 3:2-3)

Meditation

The truth of scripture is not always understood the first or even the tenth time I read it. Not all things I read are supposed to be figured out without a great deal of deep contemplation. God wants me to meditate on some of the more difficult to comprehend passages. When I was a small child in Sunday School, I memorized John 3:16, along with many other scriptures. I wasn’t presented with all the graphic details of Jesus’ torture and death at that time, as I wasn’t ready for any of that. I was taught how to sing, “Jesus Loves Me,” and I memorized and sang the song with glee. I wasn’t ready for a more complex song with a much deeper message, like “Amazing Grace.” My growth from the babe in Christ to the mature believer I am today took a lot of reading and study.

The trouble comes when people fail to mature from the milk of scripture to the meat. They don’t grow in their knowledge of sound doctrine. They constantly argue about things they have no familiarity with. They prove they’re still babes by their ignorance. When they express belief in doctrines that have no foundation in scripture, they show themselves to still be of the flesh. There are people who claim a special title and responsibility in the hierarchy of the Church. They declare themselves to be an Apostle or Prophet because they like the sound of the title, without understanding much about what they mean. Their works are of the flesh for the approval of other men and women, not realizing the praise of men and women will be their only reward.

Many will go through their entire Christian walk and never be weaned from scripture’s milk. They have no interest in the meat of the scriptures. The Bible contains the information we need for our daily lives. It is the food for our souls, and its nourishment is eternal, lasting forever. God doesn’t want us to remain as babes. He wants strong, mature, and hungry believers, who constantly seek after the truth found in the pages of the Bible. He doesn’t want people who desert their faith at the slightest notion that circumstances might be getting tough, which they will. He wants us to be steadfast in our faith, ready to persevere through the tough times, while he is right at our sides. 

Daily Prayer

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. We are in awe of your goodness and majesty. You have inspired the words of scripture, not to give us something to memorize as children in Sunday School, but as food for our souls. Help us, Father, to mature from babes, who can only stand the milk of scripture. We want to know as much of your truth as we can. We know there are mysteries contained in scripture we won’t understand until we stand with you in glory. Don’t let us make the excuse that we’re not going to understand all things to not try. Keep us from the laziness that a small child has about picking up their toys. Give us a hunger for the meat of scripture. Don’t let us be satisfied with explanations that go outside of sound doctrine. When we hear an interpretation we don’t really understand, help us to go to the scriptures for clarification. Help us to search for the truth no matter where the interpretation comes from. We pray in the name above all other names. Amen!