Seven Critical Challenges for Living in This World (A Study of I Peter 2): Got Hunger?

Some of you are aware that I’ve been engaged in a daily Bible reading program with my friend Frank in New Jersey for a couple of years or so. We choose a book of the Bible and read the same chapter each day for a week — then move on to the next chapter after that. Our procedure is quite simple and is explained here.

Well, I’ve started a small group of four men who are doing this kind of daily Bible reading and we’ve worked our way through Philippians and I Timothy, and are now going through I Peter. We drop each other a short email on Sunday about something we’ve learned in our reading together.

In reading through I Peter 2, I believe there are seven critical challenges that Peter gives us that are particularly relevant for us right now in our world. Here’s the second —

The Christian life is not just getting rid of things, saying “no!” to sin. The Christian life is positive and educates us on what to pursue, long for, EAT! Here we are challenged at a level most (men, especially) appreciate — what we eat. We are to crave “pure spiritual milk.”

Your local grocery store understands a thing or two about craving. They are strategic in placing the right sweets just before the check-out counter. Impulse buying + cravings = profits! We believers are to crave — we are to long for that milk that helps us grow.

In fact, Peter gives us the reason for our craving — “that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” God wants us to grow. And spiritual babies need pure spiritual milk.

Peter also gives us the justification for our craving — “now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” God’s goodness ought to motivate us to crave what would be most beneficial to our becoming like Christ!

Today’s Challenge: When it comes to your spiritual diet, do you crave God’s pure spiritual milk? If not, why not? Are you satisfying your godly hunger with this world’s junk food?