Like a Newborn Baby...

While listening to 1 Timothy this morning, a phrase I've heard dozens of times stuck out to me:
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
When I think back to those early days with a new baby, there is an amazing amount of sweetness, combined with a complete, dependent neediness on the part of the baby. Some of you may remember that I blogged about my nursing experiences with Moses, our most recent son. The first post, describing the first week of nearly non-stop eating, seemed to strike a chord with a lot of people. It is so easy to forget that early neediness, where at times the only thing that satisfies that sweet little person is drinking more milk.

LIKE NEWBORN BABIES
But this morning, it made me think, have I ever been that dependent on the Word of God? And even if there was such a time, am I still growing in my maturity of intake? Because sometimes I stagnate.

If, in real life, I went without food as often as I sometimes go without God's Word, I would not be healthy.

That's a frightening reality. I don't love God's Word enough; I am not dependent enough upon it. Though at times I have spent time and energy eagerly feeding myself on God's Word, at other times, I treat it as dessert, or as a delicacy. In other words, as if it's optional.

Reading, studying and assimilating the Word of God is the most essential part of our spiritual life. There will be no sign of spiritual growth unless our spirit is stimulated, formed and built up by this Word.

Do I treat Scripture as essential? There have been many times in my life when I have, but I have to confess that in recent months, I have not treated God's Word as essential. At times, it's been something I've reached for in desperation, but if I am honestly assessing my intake over the past few months, I am spiritually malnourished.

Even if there have been times when I wanted to read 8-12 times a day, those times won't carry me along NOW. I still need to be regularly intaking God's Word. Not just the "milk" meant for spiritual newborns, but chewing through the meat that's available in His Word as well. Just like the classic "busy mom" who has to make sure she's eating healthy and taking care of herself, so that she can more capably love and care for the people in her home, perhaps now more than ever, I need to be feeding myself a healthy "diet" of Scripture.

This is just an open confession, I suppose. It could serve as well as a word of encouragement for any other moms out there who have been doing what I've been doing-- shuffling along through spiritual life without that regular, dependent, eager intake of God's Word. Let's get back to it. Let's keep on diving deeper into Scripture. Let's chew on the difficult parts and delight in the sweet portions.

Anything you'd like to share or add?

12 comments:

Michelle said...

Yes, you can get flaxseed and wheat bran here. Flaxseed is 'toz keten tohumu' and wheat bran is 'bugday kepegi'. Have you found barley? I miss barley...

Jess Connell said...

Thanks, Michelle!

Kim said...

This is such a beautiful post. I have spent the last year reading through the Bible daily (I will finish Revelation/Malachi on Friday, but I have to go back and read through to Feb 21, and then I will have read the complete Bible in a year). I will say that making it a priority to be in God's Word daily has changed my life. I finally understood the concept of Daily Bread - that it is necessary daily to grow and walk with the Lord to be partaking of his Word daily.

(It only took 30 years, but you know.) :)

I want to do another "read through" in the new year, but I also have a desire to dig deeper into specific books - Deuteronomy was one of my favorites, and I also want to delve more into the NT. Do you have any advice or ways that you systematically spend time in specific books?

flyinjuju said...

This is a blessing. I have just started getting back into the swing of things. It seems like it is usually about 8-9mo postpartum when I do more than just survival. It has been so refreshing to seek God again. God is always so faithful in those early months with a newborn, but it is nice to get back to a deeper walk.

Christy said...

Thank you! I was just writing a post about inspiration from God through other blogging moms and I found my way here. I have been focusing on every one else in my family and haven't been taking care of my own spirit. As a result, I feel like nothing I do is working. I have to remember that I can't train my children in matters of faith if my tank is empty.

Meredith said...

Thanks for this beautiful post, and timely. I too have enjoyed using a "read through the Bible in a year" plan this year and have been encouraging everyone who will listen to me to do join with me in 2011! Yours are such sweet words and put the very human (sweet baby) face as to why this is so important. It makes me think of Daniel, who stopped to pray three times a day. I take it his three prayer times weren't three brief moments to shoot a quick prayer up to God but rather three proper, dedicated times to pray. But that is another story I guess. Thanks for your lovely blog.

Amy said...

Oh, this is good stuff! Though I've tried to read the Word daily throughout my Christian walk, 2011 will be the first year I'm going to put myself on a Bible reading plan. And my oldest son too, at a slower pace. I'm so excited to see what the Lord is going to do with me this year as I get more intentional about feasting on his Word. Good, good stuff Jess!

Anonymous said...

Eager intake is what I've been missing for a long time. Thank you for this gentle reminder. :)

~Shannon (mom to five littles also)

jennifer edwards said...

This really strikes a chord with me. As I'm sitting at the computer eating caramel cookie bars and ice cream...and then wonder why I'm so confused about decisions that need to be made. Thinking, I wish God would just give me a to do list..hmmm. If I'm not even willing to spend time with what he's already given, what makes me think I need more!!! Thanks for sharing and encouraging.

Jennifer

Alice said...

I read this post while breastfeeding my 5th baby who is 10 days old, so I can really relate to the Biblical analogy right now! This was so helpful for me to read, and so relevant to me personally. Thanks so much for posting it!

Charisa said...

Thanks for posting this. I am with you on this right now... although there are times I have hungered for more of the Word, now is not one of those times. Thank you for the encouragement to get back to it.

Keep posting, I am so encouraged by you and your blog.

darci said...

I just read this verse a couple days ago and was mulling over much of this..I don't want to 'just' read, I want to inhale and feast and devour His Word. That it be EVERYTHING to me, that without it I am helpless! I want to hunger for it. I find that one thing that is great for me is just leaving my Bible and journal (where I copy verses, write prayers, etc) open on the sort of bar thing in the middle of our living/dining room. It might look a little cluttered, but when I have even 5 min I can slide onto the stool and read a bit. Thanks for this great post!! darci :)