Crave

(these pictures really have nothing to do with this post, but aren't they just too stinkin' precious?!?!)

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1 Peter 2:2

And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation (NET)
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation (NIV)
Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation (NASB)
You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk (NLT)

I've always heard that you really don't know the meaning of this verse till you live with an infant - and it has surely been true for me. There is no desperation like that of a hungry baby.

Benjamin's normal morning routine is to wake up somewhere around 7:00. He definitely wakes up hungry, but until he sees Mom or Dad, he's happy to lay in his crib, playing with his hands or talking to himself for 15 minutes or so. One morning this week, he had been doing just that when Will went in to say good-morning before he left for work. Then I came in and sat down in the rocker to feed him ... it was then that we realized that his diaper had leaked out through his jammies and we were going to need to change his diaper and his clothes before we went on with breakfast. So I got up from the chair, put him down on the changing table, and proceeded to take off the dirty pajamas and change his diaper. As soon as he realized what was happening, Benjamin's face just crumpled and he let out the most pitiful little squeal of a cry you've ever heard. This cry wasn't just that he was hungry, wasn't just that he was mad, it was a cry of ... heartbroken desperation.

"Mom! I'm so hungry, and you were all ready to feed me, but now we're doing this?"

It was so pitiful it brought tears to my eyes! I changed his diaper as quickly as I could, then just threw a blanket over him to keep him warm and sat down to feed him ... forget new jammies! we can get those later! this poor child is desperate!

And then, as happens many times when I hear Benjamin cry to be fed, the Holy Spirit reminded me of this verse ... crave the pure milk of the Word! How I need this attitude of utter desperation for the Word - it is my only source of true spiritual refreshment and growth.

May God give us hearts that crave to meet Him in His Word!