Lord, let me yearn for you

Today's reading is from the book of 1 Peter. All of today's readings can be found here.

"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." - 1 Peter 2:2-5 (ESV)

What do you long for? Are you imitating Ruth's father-in-law Elimilech, trusting God as long as you are comfortable? Are you imitating Peter, interestingly enough the author of this passage, and following Christ until it gets hard? Or are you fervently seeking after the Lord, desiring only things of Him and refusing to be satisfied otherwise?

This passage shows Peter - the very same apostle who denied Christ three times, urging all believers and people who are interested in the faith to long for the Holy Spirit's indwelling power. To yearn for the Lord and knowledge of the Most High, because the result will have to be trusting in the God of the universe and ultimately salvation. Jim Rayburn, founder of the high school relational outreach Young Life, once said that if we can only pull back the curtains of misunderstanding and let a person gaze at Jesus unadulterated - they will not be able to say no to His goodness. This is what Peter is arguing here - if we yearn for 'spiritual milk' and set it as the highest priority, we will necessarily see Christ, and in seeing Christ, we will love Him and follow Him.

So what are you yearning for? Could Dallan Forgaill's words "Naught be all else to me save that Thou art!" be attributed to you? I pray that they could, and that the Lord Jesus would be first in your mind and on your tongue, because this is the path to salvation and true joy in this life and eternal rest in the presence of the Father in the next.

Heavenly Father, be first in my mind and on my heart. Teach me to yearn for you with all that I have. Holy Spirit I know that I am weak without You, make me feel as such. Let me drink deeply of the Well of Life, and find all of my pleasure in You. Amen.


-MD Letteney