Babies, Milk, and the Bible

Ever seen a baby drink a bottle? Don’t get between a baby and his bottle! Babies love their milk. They are totally into that bottle. I guess babies don’t do a whole lot more than drink milk and sleep anyway, right?
The apostle Peter uses the idea of a baby and milk to illustrate how we ought to desire the Word of God. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet 2:2). The command here is to desire the Word of God like a baby desires milk. We should be as hungry to hear what God says to us in the Bible as a baby is for his next bottle!
Why should we desire God’s Word so much? The reason is given in the verse: so that we can grow. Why do babies want their bottle? Because they’re hungry! God made them hungry so they would drink their milk and grow up. In the same way, God has given each Christian a desire for His Word so that we won’t be baby Christians forever. As we long for and feed on the Bible, we will grow in our Christian lives. We will learn more about God, we will understand our responsibilities as Christians, and (hopefully) we will become more obedient to God!
Practically speaking, how can we desire God’s Word like a baby desires its bottle? Well, for starters, we can jealously guard our daily time in God’s Word each day. The time you spend each day reading the Bible should be a time that you refuse to give to anything else. It should be a priority— as important to you as eating! You should give your time in the Word your best hour of the day, whether that is in the morning or whenever. You should read with an alert mind and hungry heart. When you hear God’s Word explained at church, in Sunday school, in family devotions, your heart should be open and ready— just like a baby ready for his bottle!