Wednesday, November 1, 2017
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It had been a long time since Karen and I did the baby thing, but then our kids started having kids. And our first grandchild came. Our wonderful grandson, and I forgot how those little guys could eat! I assure you there was nothing wrong with this boy's appetite. You could tell the first couple of days on earth. He'd start crying to make his announcement that it was time to eat, and he wouldn't stop crying until he had his fill. Of course, I'm like that sometimes. And then that second day, he had just eaten, and right away here he is again announcing he still needed to eat some more. We were able to distract him briefly. You know, we could play or sing or change positions, but only briefly. Nope! Pretty soon he was at it again – until he got fed some more.
Now even though our grandson was very special, I don't think the appetite thing is particularly unique. No, believe me, babies are going to get their milk!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Eating Like a Baby."
Now it's interesting that God uses the appetite of a newborn to actually describe the relationship of His children to His Word. It's in our word for today from the Word of God in 1 Peter 2:2-3 where God says, "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation."
Now listen, I saw newborn babies craving milk in our family. This picture is still pretty graphic.. The baby not only has an appetite, he has an insistent appetite! I mean, not satisfied till he's got his milk! He will get his milk! And he needs that milk. Without it, he would never have been more than a helpless, eight-pound bundle. But with that, well, he could start growing into all he was created to be.
God says, "I want you to be like that newborn baby when it comes to getting into My Word." If you're spiritually healthy, then you have a God-given, insatiable appetite to read what He's written to you in the Bible, to understand it, to use it. Medically, we know the one sign you're not healthy is a poor appetite. Right? Well, spiritually, one sign that you're not healthy is a poor appetite for God's Word.
So, how's your appetite? I mean, can you honestly say, "I can't wait for my next time to get into God's words? I really miss it when I don't have that time." See if your appetite for what God says is something less than strong and insistent, think about what might be affecting your appetite.
For example, you can ruin your appetite for the good stuff by filling up on the other stuff. Right? Could it be that you are so full of the internet, television, business, sports, and reading other things, and entertainment-maybe you've even let some serious junk food into your soul, and you just don't have much appetite left for God's Word? You've dulled your spiritual senses by disproportionate time gobbling up other stuff.
Or maybe you have little appetite because of little exercise. If you're not using what you read in your everyday life, you won't miss not having it. When you read God's Word, do you connect it to something that's going on in your life that day? Do you actually use it to transform how you handle that part of your day? And are you out of your comfort zone, actively serving your Savior in something that really challenges you? That kind of spiritual activity, listen, it works up a spiritual appetite. When you are really letting God change you, when you are really letting God use you, you need His Word. And when you don't have it, you miss it.
If your appetite for God and His words to you isn't what it should be, ask Him to give you an appetite. The kind that I saw years ago our first grandchild had for physical milk, and all of those grandchildren since. Nothing could stop him from getting his nourishment!
Look, as you grow up in Jesus, don't ever lose that insistent appetite of a little baby!