Crave What Gives You Real Peace

The summer of 2023 will go down in my personal history books as one of the most special. This was the summer that both of my children became parents, just two months apart. Which has meant that this Mimi has spent a lot of time with newborn babies transitioning into infants, and young married energetic adults transitioning into sleep deprived, yet somehow functional, parents. Glory to God for both!

I have noticed that as a grandmother I can appreciate things about babies that I wasn’t able to – or had forgotten over the years – as a mom.

I had forgotten how much babies sleep. I’ve also been reminded that they eat alot and that newborns are very good at communicating when they need to eat. One minute they are peaceful, quiet bundles of joy at rest. Then they begin to get restless, tense, their legs and arms begin to squirm, their mouth tightens. Soon they start to complain with squawks and whines, legs and arms flail about, while tension and stress increases. Comforting, shushing, or rocking, which usually soothe a discontented babe, no longer work and then cries burst forth from their teeny lungs which leave you to wonder how such a small thing could make such a piercing noise. In their crying, the babe begins to root, eagerly seeking what she craves, while her head, uncoordinated in movement control, tosses and turns and bobbles in panic.

Finally, she finds what she was so desperately needing – Momma’s milk.  She is latched and instantly relieved.  Once the milk begins to flow, all tension, striving and fear dissipate like the early mist of a late summer morning.  The only thing that remains is peace.

Christian, do you ever feel like this hungry babe – anxious, striving, fearful, desperately seeking something? Yet you carry on, unfulfilled, as your stress increases, maybe to anger, outbursts, and selfishness, while love for God, His Word and others decreases. Just like the cries and stressed flailing of a baby are symptoms of her hunger, these outward workings of a cold heart are the symptoms of our hunger. Her hunger is for milk, so is ours. Her milk is physical. As a child of God, our milk is spiritual – the Word of God.

Have you tasted and seen that the Lord is good? Is your heart cold, tension rising within you? Then take the advice of Peter and,

“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.”  1 Peter 2:2-3

Let the Word wash over you, revive your soul and give you peace. It’s the only peace that’s real and it’s the only peace you really need.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimonies of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold. Sweeter are they than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them your servant is warned, and in keeping them is great reward.” Psalm 19:7-11