Arrested Spiritual Development Part 1

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Hebrews 5:12

Addressing the early church, Paul said:
‘‘I have a lot more to say…but it is hard to get it across to you since you’ve picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one – baby’s milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago!’ (vv. 11-14 MSG). It’s known as ‘arrested development’, and it can happen to any of us. Among the first evidence that a child is healthy and growing is that they no longer need to be fed from a bottle, or have their food cut up and put into their mouth. They may still prefer chocolate to carrots, but hopefully they’re closer to understanding why they need carrots. If the only time you’re fed spiritually is in church on Sunday morning, why would you be surprised that you don’t have the faith to believe God for answered prayer, the strength to overcome temptation, or a sense of God’s guidance in your life? How long do you think you’d last if you only ate once a week? Job said, ‘I…treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food’ (Job 23:12) David said,How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!’ (Psalm 119:103). Jeremiah wrote,Your words were found, and I ate them…Your word was…the joy and rejoicing of my heart’ (Jeremiah 15:16). To grow spiritually, you need the ‘strong meat’ of God’s Word (see Hebrews 5:14)

Prayer
Heavenly Father, You saved me by Your Mercy in the atoning death of Your Son Jesus – and saved me for a purpose, to grow and nurture in Your written and living Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen