THIRSTING FOR MORE OF GOD by Raphael ben Levi
“Desire God’s pure word as newborn babies desire milk. Then you will grow in your salvation.” (1Peter 2:2. NOG)
The people who Peter was addressing in his letter were newly born-again believers. The Jewish sages frequently referred to proselytes as ‘newborn babies.’ Paul similarly used the illustration of a baby’s milk to refer to someone who is spiritually immature: “ I give you milk not solid food because you were not ready for it.” (1Cor. 3:2)
But here, Peter is saying something different. A closer look at the text reveals Peter making a beautiful comparison of a newborn child’s total dependency upon his mother’s milk for survival as an illustration for how we need to thirst after His Word uncompromisingly, to build strength and character in our relationship with God.
Peter implied that drinking the milk of God’s Word is not restricted to spiritual babies but vital for everyone at every stage of maturity. (“Desire God’s pure word as newborn babies desire milk.”) And by the way, when we do this try to make sure that it is not ‘homogenised’ or ‘pasteurised’ (i.e., tampered with or ‘sanitised’) otherwise one will lose most of the nutrients!
For a newborn baby, drinking from its mother’s breast was traditionally a matter of life or death. How desperate are we today for more of Him? Do we seek His face relentlessly and daily thirst for Him as though our very lives depended on it? Do we draw upon the spiritual nourishment of ‘El Shaddai’ (The ‘Many Breasted One’ – Gen.49:25)
How could we not desire in a deeper measure the incomparable riches of the One who sustains and provides only the very best for our lives at all times?
