ABBA FATHER – Thank YOU for another opportunity to share YOUR
truths. Open our hearts and understanding so that we can receive and
develop and become workmen not ashamed but correctly interpreting YOUR words so
that others can receive and develop and grow. In the Matchless Name LORD JESUS!
2 In the same way that nursing infants cry for milk, you must
intensely crave the pure spiritual milk of God’s Word. For this “milk”
will cause you to grow into maturity, fully nourished and strong for life— 3 especially now that you have
had a taste of the goodness of the Lord Jehovah and have experienced his
kindness. 1Peter 2:2-3 (The
Passion Translation)
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good …Psalm 34:8(a) (King James Version)
11 We have much to say about this. But it is hard to explain
because you are so slow to understand. 12 You have had enough
time so that by now you should be teachers. But you need someone to teach you
again the first lessons of God’s message. You still need the teaching that is
like milk. You are not ready for solid food. 13 Anyone who
lives on milk is still a baby. He knows nothing about right teaching. 14 But
solid food is for those who are grown up. They are mature enough to know the
difference between good and evil.
Hebrews 5:11-14 (International Children’s Bible)
Developing
Spiritual Children
When I was a
little girl at my grandparents’ home in South Carolina, I sat in a corner,
picked up my Pop’s bible and started reading. I don’t remember the passage, but
I do recall my Pastor’s-Wife-Sunday-School-teaching grandmother walking in,
taking the bible away & telling me, “I don’t want you reading this.” When I
asked her why not, she told me that I would not be able to read the words in
it. I remember very vividly assuring her, “Oh no, Nana! I’m a really, good
reader! I’m in the top reading group in my class!” She smiled at my innocence
and handed me another book – The
American Standard Version of the Bible and my own catechism to study. Then she
explained that she knew that I was a good reader, but she wanted me to use a
version of the Bible that would make the words plain and clear to me. Little did I know that Nana was my first lesson in establishing and developing
a Spiritual Child! My Nana was my first MasterLife
Facilitator!
She saw my
‘infant’ need for nourishment and as my first real disciple-builder, began
gently establishing the roots of a
new spiritual child. Yes, I needed (NEED) the WORD to grow and flourish but
Nana also recognized that I needed ‘milk’
… just like Peter said in 1Peter
2:2-3! Peter reminds me of my Nana with
his ‘gentle’ instruction to crave the WORD like
a baby longs for milk.
As babies, we
‘discovered’ new tastes all the time, don’t we? “Mmmm! What was that?!? It was good and it plunked in my
tummy!” Their little fingers grasp for it! “More! More! More!” And our
grown-ups happily share, excited about the eagerness and anticipation!
But not too much
– not yet. You must establish a tummy
strong enough for the next thing. We don’t introduce peaches and peas at the
same time, for example, because we need to recognize if there are allergies and
what to address.
And the same way
we entreat a new-born baby, we should help our new-born spiritual siblings to
grow and be strengthened … Established. But we can’t stop there! There is more -
much more! At some point, I would need to move from the pureed peaches to a
pork chop!
Now, if my Nana
was my Peter, then without question, my Margaret is my Hebrews Writer! Margaret is my spiritual Mom and one day, when I
was falling apart at her kitchen table, she asked me a simple question that I still
apply today. “You’ve been down this road before. What is this really all about?”
That was the
best question ever! It caused me to look deep inside to the root of the
situation and say to my Self, “Listen – you are not a baby anymore.”
The fact was - I
HAD been down that road before! It was time - beyond time - to apply the
Word that I danced and shouted to every Sunday!
“You should be on meat by now. You should be helping, teaching, guiding
… DEVELOPING someone else!”
From my ‘great
cloud of witnesses – my Nana and my Margaret to Latriece and Mother Coates;
from my Pastor Burton to my Cousin Pastor, from my Pop and my BishopPastor all
the way to Peter and that Hebrew guy; – I have learned this very important
thing:
In the same way that we don’t leave a human
baby to fend on his own, we must initially slow walk a babe in CHRIST. The same
way we would not serve a T-bone to a 3-month old, we must offer helpful,
loving, patient guidance and aid to our new or newly rededicated siblings in CHRIST … allowing for baby steps and
stumbles. Then, later, when they face the bumps in the road along the way, be
there to remind them that GOD’s Mercy still endures, and HIS Grace is still
sufficient!
Then we can watch like I imagine Barnabas
and Ananias did, with the humble pride of parents, as our spiritual children
walk across the stage, fully-developed – ready to join and perhaps even to surpass us in ministry.
One plants.
Another waters. And ABBA FATHER continues to provide the increase!
Go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, 20 and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with
you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
