FROM MILK TO MEAT
A college student was heard to confess: “The thing that bothers me, is that I’ve received Christ as my Savior, but I have all the same problems I had before. I don’t have victory…It seems all I do is struggle, struggle, struggle, and it isn’t a pleasant experience. Jesus Christ is my Savior, but I don’ feel He’s real to me. I want to feel He’s alive to me, that He’s right here controlling and directing me as I try to walk with God.”
We have an example of this same problem in the life of the Apostle Peter. He tended to live by feeling and not walk by faith. He was reflecting immaturity and the fact that he had not advanced in his Christian walk. He was incredibly slow to catch on, insecure, loudmouthed, hot headed, and with his foot never far from his mouth. But Peter, having failed so miserably in life became repentant, broken and submissive. We see a picture of this changed man one morning after breakfast when Jesus begins to probe deeply into the quality of Peter’s commitment to Him. The Scriptural account is as follows in John 21:15-17, “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these”? “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep. The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Why did Jesus question Peter in this manner? He needed Peter to affirm his deepening faith. Indeed Peter was moving from living on milk, as a infant Christian, to taking on the meat of the Word. His love for Christ was not just a feeling but was becoming a strong walk by faith. .
Lets take a moment and do a self evaluation to see if there is a need to move from milk to meat in our Christian journey.
__I often feel like I’m standing still as a Christian
__I know I’m a Christian and Christ has definitely made some changes in my life. I think I should be more mature.
__I often feel frustrated at myself for yielding to the same temptation over and over again.
__Too often I live under the circumstances and fail to experience the joyful abundant life Jesus desires.
The steps to maturity are the same as Peter experienced, repentant, broken and submissive. The Christian life is a journey and it can be a joyful one as we live in obedience to our wonderful Lord.
