It is kind of hard to believe, but Connie and I have two great-grandchildren! Our newest one is a girl who they said was born hungry! They said she, being the queen of her new kingdom, wanted to eat NOW and let everyone know that!
Perhaps the most amazing aspects of a baby for me are their tiny features like ears, nose, mouth or fingernails formed in such perfection. When I see them, I think of the size and shape of my features, especially fingernails. Their tiny features will change a bit as they grow but only in size. Their hunger level increases as well! Many babies get so excited when they see a bottle their arms and legs leap into full speed.
Peter must have been thinking of babies when he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write 1 Peter 2:2 (ESV), Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation… Initially, perhaps the most common interpretation of this verse is that Peter was implying that his readers were infants. Along with that is the idea that the Word of God is always milk and not so much meat. However, the word “like” identifies the passage as a simile, so it does not imply the readers as being babies or the Word as always being milk. After all, they had been facing severe persecution in their world far more intense and abusive than we here in America today can imagine. It was the Spirit inspiring him to write their prescription (and ours) for handling the heat of harsh harassment. While much can be learned from this passage, the hot topic in this verse is about the intensity of desire or longing within a person to devour truths and insights as they meditate on God’s Word.
I suspect that most believers, even some unbelievers, go to the Bible when they face a crisis in order to find some comfort or understanding for what they are facing. Unfortunately, that is like a person attending church primarily on Christmas and Easter or when facing a major challenge. What happens to a person who only sporadically nibbles on morsels of food, especially junk food? They are very unhealthy and weak at best, and at worst they soon die. The same is true of a person who lacks an intense desire for ingesting truth from God’s Word. They seem to survive spiritually if they are supported by other believers and don’t face any serious personal temptations or full out abuse. However, we all know that does not describe a normal believer’s life.
All of us face multiple misunderstandings, unfulfilled expectations, attacks from others (even other Christ followers), or very attractive temptations. We even have emotional ups and downs every day, some being more acute than others. Jesus promised in John 15:20 (NLT2), Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you, and Paul wrote 2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV), Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
The Spirit is saying to you and me today, nurture and feed the hunger you have within you for knowing personal truths and insights imbedded in God’s Word. In doing so, like a baby’s hunger, your hunger will grow! It will be the Holy Spirit whispered revelations as you regularly reflect on God’s Word that will empower, strengthen, energize you and give you confidence, peace and joy that will prepare you to face any giant God allows to cross your path. What have you been doing with the hunger, no matter how faint it maybe, in your life? Can you do more to grow it into a stronger passion? You will NEVER regret investing in increasing your appetite for God’s Word.