I have a friend who used to be a chef. He has a very discerning palate. He can taste a sauce and tell what spices are in it.
Mark 4:19 is a short list of what dulls our spiritual discerning palate. It says, “But the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”
Today's passage says, "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).
A newborn baby has to be helped to take its first drink of life-giving nourishment. However, a newborn in Christ needs no coaxing. Salvation comes with a desire for the milk of God’s Word.
At salvation, we indeed have tasted the Lord’s goodness. It was expressed through his death on the cross. He loved us even while we were still sinners. He paid the full penalty of our sins. He bore the wrath of his Father. for us. As we grow in our understanding of who the Lord is, our desire to spend time with him increases.
When you are in the depths of your trial, struggling with emotional pain, what do you crave? The enemy seeks to use our trials to get us to turn from God. The Lord uses our trials to draw us closer to him. He wants to be our sole source of comfort: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. May his love for you eclipse everything but him.
Heavenly Father, thank you for your goodness that brought us to repentance for salvation. Thank you for your Word that feeds and nourishes our spirit. Help us to drink deeply of your life-giving truth, that we might be free from the things that would dull our appetites. May we serve you with gladness. Amen.
Throughout This Day: Thank God often for the amazing privilege of being able to hear and understand his Word.
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