Like a Newborn Baby

I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw. Proverbs 24:32

These past few weeks I have celebrated the birth of my first grandchild, the 30^th birthday of my son, and the 60^th birthday of my husband.  Each celebration marked a different stage of life, yet at every stage there are lessons to be learned.  As I spend time with my precious granddaughter I have been taken back to a scripture that keeps running through my mind.  “Like newborn babies, long for (crave) the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.” 1 Peter 2:2-3 Baby Isla craves pure milk and let’s her request be made known about every two to three hours.  She really requires very little: milk, a clean diaper, and sleep.  Simple babyhood! “God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated!  Ecclesiastes 7:29 (TEV) It seems the older we get the more complicated we have made our lives.  So complicated that we often put God on the “when I have more time” list. 

As I have been observing Isla, my precious newborn grandchild, I have learned some lessons about myself.  There are days that I confuse my craving for the milk of His Word with the craving for more activity, more fun, or even more ministry.  When was the last time that I cried out in my craving for more of God and His Word?  The second lesson I am learning from Isla is that cleanliness is a requirement for godliness.  Once Isla has her diaper changed, she has a new attitude!  When I spend moments in the morning reflecting on yesterday asking the Lord to show me the dirt in my life and then through confession allowing Him to remove it, He brings me peaceful contentment.  For prior to craving the Word there must be a time where  we put aside malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. (1 Peter 2:1) Nothing is more refreshing than tasting the goodness of the Lord’s forgiveness!  Lastly, Isla sleeps a lot, not always at night, but she sleeps.  After a good sleep, she wakes up cooing and her eyes wide open in wonder.  I have been staying with my son and his wife this week to help with the baby.  I have been sleeping on their couch with their puppy dog.  Couch plus puppy does not always equal a good nights sleep.  But, this morning as I woke up from a good nights rest I opened the blinds and the brightness of the sun peeked through. What hope and anticipation there is after a good nights sleep to see the sun streaming in.  I woke up from that rest craving even more time with the Light of the world.  

This week Isla has reminded me to focus on the simple truth that I am to crave the pure milk of the Word, so that I can continue to grow up in Him.  Isla has grown before my very eyes this week.  She has fed on pure milk, had her diaper changed, and rested well.  Lesson learned:  Crave the Word, confess my dirt, and rest in His love and mercy.  If you are reading this and have tasted the kindness of the Lord’s salvation keep your life simple by craving His word, keeping your life free of unconfessed sin, and find your rest in Christ alone.  

Keep Craving,

Nancy