Thirst for the Word

“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.”
1 Peter 2:2-3

I love this time of the year. Winter is my favorite season anyway, but it is also the season that I raise calves. Most years I purchase a few dairy bull calves to bottle raise. I use to talk about cows to one of the farmers in our community, Leon Barker. He loved cows as much as I do, but he would always tell me, with a big smile on his face, “Cows are nothing but an expensive hobby.” I will miss our conversations. Leon passed away a few weeks ago.  However I still enjoy going out each morning and afternoon in the cold with milk bottles in my hands to feed them.  I love to see them get excited when they see me coming.  Every morning before the sun is up, I hear them calling for their milk. As soon as it is light enough outside to see, I look out and see them staring back at the house, just waiting for me to walk out of the door with the bottles in my hands. Then they can hardly wait for me to open the gate. They all rush me as I enter the pen. Each one is pushing the other so that they can be first in line to drink. They are hungry. They want the milk and they want it ASAP. It is satisfying to me to see them deeply desiring the milk.

Now I want us to compare that to our desire for milk. No not cow’s milk, goat’s milk or even, I can’t believe I am going to say this, almond milk. Peter in our Scripture verses compares God’s Word to milk.  Peter is urging his readers to be as hungry for the Bible as a young one is for milk. It is through reading our Bibles and studying it that we grow in our knowledge of Jesus. When we feed on Scripture we are able to grow in our understanding of our salvation and the extent that God went to, to be able to offer it to us. He says, “if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord”. He is saying if you are saved, you have experienced God’s greatest demonstration of love and kindness. Now we should get closer to God through His Word.  Peter is quoting Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the Lord is good…”

How hungry are you for your Bible? How much time do you spend being spiritually fed through it? Do you go to church, excited about hearing from God? Do you go looking for nourishment? Each of us should have a desire for God’s Word in our lives that is above and beyond any other desire in our lives. We should feel empty when we aren’t in His Word. Spend time today in Scripture being nourished by it. Tomorrow, get up and go to church and allow God to feed you spiritually. Have a desire for the “pure milk of the Word”.