But God offers spiritual milk
1 Peter 2:1-2 Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.
Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good.
My granddaughter scrunches her face. “Yuck!”
“But you haven’t even tasted it! I promise you, this tastes good. I’m quite sure you’ll like it.”
She pushes the plate away. “I won’t. I can tell.”
“Just a tiny taste.”
“No!”
I sigh. Is this battle one I want to fight today? I finally convince her to try a tiny taste. She makes a horrible face and spits it out.
“See? I told you I wouldn’t like it.”
“Then what do you want?”
“Cucumber slices and baby carrots and tomatoes. And sweet peppers. Four of each because I’m four.”
I can live with that.
The next week I serve the yucky food and don’t say anything about it. She eats it with gusto.
“How often am I like a four-year-old?” I muse. “The struggle isn’t really about food. It’s about whether she gets to choose for herself. Like she used to say, I can do this ‘my byself.’”
You too? From the overflowing table of God’s provision for us, what nourishment do you crave today?
I crave words of kindness and gentleness. Understanding. Hope. I want to know the Lord is with me; that he perceives the weight of my concerns and is willing to share them. Today, I am drawn to drink from Psalms 145 (one of Karis’s favorites), 146, 147:
The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love … The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does. The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. … The Lord is close to all who call on him (145:8, 13-15, 18).
Joyful are those who have God as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God. … The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down (146:5, 8).
The Lord heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. … His understanding is beyond comprehension! … The Lord delights in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love (147:3, 5, 11).
I feel the Lord’s benevolent smile as I savor this spiritual milk, relaxing into his love and kindness. And in the fact that though he gives me choices, he is in control; I’m not. All will be well.
What will you drink today? It’s your choice!
Debra Kornfield 