Day 24: Spiritual Food
In Hebrews 5:11-6:3, the author addresses the lack of maturity of their pastoral audience by highlighting the difference between those who live on spiritual "milk" and those who live on "solid food.” Given the timeframe of their conversion to Christ followers, these people should be the ones teaching and feeding others milk, not the ones still consuming it. This passage convicts me personally. On occasion, I find myself listening to sermons and podcasts more than diving into the Word by myself because it's quicker to hear someone else's digested and processed thoughts than to interpret the text on my own with the Holy Spirit.
In our physical bodies, as we mature from infancy to adulthood, we not only develop a biological capacity to process different foods, but we also can no longer survive on milk as a substantial source of nutrients. If we continue to rely on milk as our sole dietary staple, we are denying ourselves of sustainable nutrients, fiber, carbohydrates, and proteins which the body demands for further growth and development. In a sense, we are causing our own malnutrition.
There is a very important reason we are called to eat spiritual solid food before too long -- we need to grow up. If we are ever going to fulfill the call and commission of Christ (Matthew 28:16-20), we need to live a life full of substance. Repeatedly turning back to the baby stuff is not going to suffice for such a great call.
Question to Consider
Do you find yourself comfortable in your faith or are you being provoked by the difficulties of it?
Prayer
Father, help me to do something with the basics and dive deeper in my questioning and my processing of your spiritual truths. Help me push for more, God!
By Andrew Black, Pastoral Ministries major in the Northwest University College of Ministry