Thoughts for the Day

Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like new-born infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation — if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

One of our cats will follow me round the kitchen, staring straight at me, giving a cracked version of 'miaow' (he was a rescue cat) until I give in and feed him. Then he sniffs the bowl, and just as I think he's going to eat, he turns his back on the food, sits down and continues staring at me. He doesn't like that particular food!

The language and style of the First Epistle of Peter, have led most scholars to conclude that Peter was not the author of the letter. Its writer has an advanced knowledge of the Greek language, as well as philosophy and rhetoric, which would be unusual for a Galilean fisherman. The letter is written to Christians in Asia Minor who are being persecuted for their faith, and whether or not written by Peter has much to teach us.

The writer says that as a new-born baby "longs" for their mother's milk, so we should long for the word of God. The word "long" is really much stronger than it sounds - when a baby is healthy it yearns for milk and will scream until it gets it. The theologian Meyer says "The Church of God too much resembles the wards of a children's hospital." All too often th we are like the cat. We are capricious and think we want something else in life. However, when we have "tasted that the Lord is good" - if we have personally experienced how good the Lord is to us - then we shall desire to learn more about Him, and cry to Him to be fed, just as a healthy baby knows what it needs, and what is best for it.

Lord Jesus Christ,
feed us with the word of God,
so that we may yearn for more.
Teach us to turn to You,
as a baby turns to a parent
for food and nurture,
and not to seek for things
that will fail to nourish us.
Amen.