“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:2-3)
The apostle Peter compares his readers to newborn infants. This imagery is used often in the New Testament, since spiritual renewal is metaphorically called “a new birth”. In today’s verses, Peter does not focus on this birth, but on the next phase of spiritual growth. Once a baby is born, he needs milk. And although newborns don’t yet understand that they should take in food in order to survive and grow, they instinctively “long for” milk.
Peter takes this as an example for Christians. Having been born again, they need spiritual nourishment to grow in faith. This spiritual milk is found in God’s Word. We should take it in regularly, not as a burden or a law, but because it is our heart’s desire to receive spiritual food. If we have “tasted” that the Lord is good, we long for more!
So why does Peter stress the importance of longing for pure spiritual milk, if it comes naturally? Well, Christians sometimes tend to drift away or to be distracted by the cares of this world. Then they may neglect meeting together and forget to read their Bibles regularly. That is very harmful for their spiritual health. Therefore, we should take Peter’s advice to heart: “long for the pure spiritual milk”!
Do you really long for this “pure spiritual milk”?