Stuck on Milk; Similac Crazy

Volume 14 Issue 4

Greetings in His Name,

I am truly grateful to everyone who takes the time to read this blog. I understand that there is an abundance of content available, and I apologize for my absence over the past few months. I needed to focus on completing my master's degree in Christian Studies while managing various other responsibilities. Nevertheless, I hope you find encouragement in the message of this blog: that God calls us to grow. With that in mind, today's blog is titled "Stuck on Milk: Similac Crazy." I hope it brings you inspiration, conviction, and thought-provoking questions.

shalom and love,

heidi

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Chapter 5 of the Book of Hebrews, a letter addressed to Jewish Christians, begins by outlining the qualifications for being a priest. This is significant as it deepens our understanding of Jesus' role as our High Priest. The book reminds us that Jesus was divinely chosen to serve in this capacity, and from Hebrews 4, we learn that He is our great High Priest. Through His obedience in the face of suffering, Jesus was perfected and exalted above the earthly priests, establishing Him as the author of eternal salvation—the salvation that we can attain only through our obedience to Him.

Paul, or the author of this book, issues a strong warning: "You are dull of hearing." The Greek interpretation of this phrase conveys the idea of being lazy or sluggish. In terms of our spiritual development, it suggests that we are not diligently pursuing an understanding of, and the application of, our faith's teachings. The author cautions that their lack of attentiveness has led to stagnation or regression in their growth.

God has designed the body to grow both physically and spiritually, with distinct stages of development: infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. While physical growth generally ceases during adolescence, spiritual growth is a lifelong journey. When a child is malnourished, their growth can be hindered, making them vulnerable to various diseases and even death. Therefore, we must not become fixated — stuck— on milk. In fact, we shouldn't remain "Similac Crazy!" Why is that? Because Similac is formulated for infants, its name actually means "similar to lactation," or more simply, similar to breast milk. What mother would wish for her child to remain dependent on her breast for their entire life? That idea is absurd.

The same principle applies to our spiritual lives. In 1 Peter 2:2, we are encouraged to "be like newborn babies, always craving pure spiritual milk [not a substitute], so that by drinking it you may grow up and be saved." Our spiritual journey does not conclude with the bottle; we must progress from crawling to walking, and even running, in this Christian race. As we will see, solid food is for those who are mature. To truly thrive and follow the appropriate growth process, we cannot afford to be STUCK ON MILK! Similac Crazy.

With that being said, let's look at Hebrews 5:12 GNT. There has been enough time for you to be teachers - yet you still need someone to teach you the first lessons of God's message. Instead of eating solid food, you still have to drink milk.

Let's Start Over

Several months ago, we embraced the arrival of a new year. Many of us entered this new chapter with a mission statement, recognizing that God has granted us a fresh opportunity to be productive by approaching things in a new way: New Day, New Year, New Way. This sentiment feels like a fresh start. The author acknowledges that the Hebrew believers had long walked with the Lord—long enough to assume roles as teachers and leaders. However, at some point, they became stagnant; they got stuck on milk instead of progressing. While Paul could have reprimanded them harshly, he instead chose to recognize their shortcomings and encourage them to return to a path of learning.

Hebrews 5:13 GNT Anyone who has to drink milk is still a child without any experience in the matter of right and wrong.

Let's Crawl

One must learn to crawl before one can walk. While crawling signifies our immaturity, it need not define our state indefinitely. If we genuinely seek the "sincere milk," as mentioned, we will undoubtedly progress from infancy to toddlerhood and ultimately to adulthood. The Hebrews were caught in a cycle of consuming milk—an obsession with the basics—engaging in discussions about foundational doctrines without applying them to their lives. They were aware of age-old traditions but were reluctant to move beyond them. It's difficult to walk if you remain stuck in the crawling phase. In fact, the Hebrews were still nestled in the lap of immaturity, and sadly, the triumphant church today seems to be in a similar position.

This brings to mind the story of Mary and Martha, emphasizing the importance of being at His feet rather than simply in His lap. Sitting at His feet symbolizes growth and maturity. While Martha busied herself with work, it was for her own benefit and for those not gathered around Jesus, enjoying the meal she had prepared. We certainly want to be in the presence of Jesus, but we must avoid placing ourselves in situations that require little sacrifice. The Master offered a spiritual feast, which is why He affirmed that Mary had chosen the better path. In our busy lives, we often become preoccupied with our own agendas and the need to impress others. Yet God is reminding us, "Don't crawl indefinitely, don't remain on milk forever, or you risk missing out on what truly matters."

Hebrews 5:14 GNT Solid food, on the other hand, is for adults, who through practice are able to distinguish between good and evil.

Let's Walk

At the beginning of this blog, I touched on priestly qualifications. Paul was disheartened that the Hebrews had not embraced their true identity. In 1 Peter 2:5, Peter reminds us that we are living stones, each contributing to the construction of the spiritual temple. We cannot fulfill this purpose if we remain on milk. We are called to priestly duties, offering spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God. We cannot do that if we stay on milk. The warning to those of Jesus' time resonates with us today; they stumbled because they did not believe in the Word of God. Consider this: the Word is proclaimed, posted, and widely known, yet not fully lived out. OUCH! Jesus, the great High Priest, has called us to be a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, tasked with declaring His praises for bringing us out of darkness into His marvelous light. WE CAN'T DO THAT IF WE'RE STUCK ON MILK.

David Jeremiah shared a devotion titled, GIVE YOUR BEST. A man gathered friends from his church to help paint his two-story house. A small section of trim on the upper level was hard to access and not visible from the ground. The man on the ladder asked, "Do we need to paint that little piece of trim?" The homeowner replied, "Yes." "But no one can see it," protested the man on the ladder. "God can see it," was the response." So, the trim was painted.

The homeowner's answer exemplified the heart of Colossians 3:23: Whatever you do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord and not to men. David Jeremiah encourages us to paint our own house as if we were painting God's house. If we cut corners in our lives, we may be signaling that it's acceptable to cut corners when serving God. Since the days of the Exodus, the Israelites were taught to offer God their very best as sacrifices. The phrase "without blemish" appears 44 times in the Old Testament, emphasizing this vital point. God deserves our utmost.

Whatever you undertake today, approach it as if you are working, cooking, driving, playing, reading, praying, or serving God Himself—because, indeed, you are.

To start over, to crawl, to walk… let's not be Similac Crazy; Stuck on Milk. But let's live our best, act our best, and think our best each day, for tomorrow is never guaranteed. -Unknown

LIFE QUOTE

“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.”

- Abraham Maslow

Let Us Laugh!

A Sunday school teacher asked the children just before she dismissed them to go to church, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?"

Annie replied, "Because people are sleeping."

https://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/Religious.htm

Hope to see you Next Month....

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