Daily Devotion (August 16, 2024)
1 Peter 2:1–3 (NKJV)
1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
As a believer in Christ what is it you desire? Peter writes that we as professing believers in Christ are to get rid of all “guile.” What is guile? Guile is deception, misleading people. It is being two-faced. It is deception in the use of words, false speaking or just outright lying. It is saying one thing then turning around and doing the opposite.
Believers in Christ have a natural desire for the pure milk of the Word of God. Just as a newborn baby craves milk, Christians should crave the pure teachings of God’s Word.
Just as it is natural for a baby to desire the pure nourishment of milk it is equally natural for Christians to desire the pure teachings of God’s word. When our first child was born the pediatrician gave us explicit instructions on what to feed her. Part of those instructions were what not to feed her. We loved pizza. As adults’ pizza was okay, but for a newborn baby pizza was not so okay. A few weeks into her life we let her taste the pizza and she liked it. Over time we added more pizza to her diet. We learned that pizza was not good for a growing baby. (No details added to this). The pediatrician was not happy with us.
Newborn believers, followers of Christ desire the “pure milk of the Word of God.” All Christians need to be fed God’s Word. As it is impossible for a newborn baby to grow without proper nourishment, so it is true of the Christian.
Christians do not live by the standards of the world. Many times, even in church, a person will prey on the weakness or ignorance of others to get what they want. If a Christian has not been taught the true Word of God, then spiritual ignorance can be exploited. The believer in Christ must get rid of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and evil speaking. Learn the Word of God. Live the Word of God. Grow in the pure Word of God.