“Like new born infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that you may grow up into salvation – if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” – 1 Peter 2:2-3

Scripture reading: 1 Peter 2:1-3 & Philippians 4:4-13

If we believe the good news of Jesus Christ, we must now live a new type of life. We are to get rid of every kind of malice, hypocrisy, deceit, envy and slander. Malice is living in any way contrary to loving God and our neighbour. Hypocrisy is pretending to be someone you are not to make yourself look better. Deceit is lying to take advantage of someone or to get something you don’t deserve. Envy is wanting what someone else has. Slander is trying to make someone else look bad so you look better to others.

Peter calls us to love God and our neighbour, accepting all that God gives us while being happy with what God gives our neighbour. That only happens when we are content in our relationship with God because of Jesus. When we are content in our relationship with God, malice, hypocrisy, deceit, envy and slander will more and more be put out of our life. Since it is not easy to always be content, Peter tells us to long for a better understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ. Like a healthy newborn baby desires milk, we are to desire more knowledge and understanding of Jesus and our salvation from God’s Word. In this way, we will become mature, content followers of Jesus Christ.

Peter points out that if we are not maturing in our salvation and growing in our contentment in our life, we need to examine ourselves, if indeed we have tasted that the Lord is good.

Suggestion for prayer

That you would mature in the faith, seeking a deeper understanding of the gospel, so you would be more content in Him.

Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.