1 Peter 2:1-3

1 Peter 2:1-3

After ceasing to have all hateful feelings and all evil deception and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, long for the genuinely pure milk as newborn infants in order that you should grow in it into salvation – if you experienced that the Lord is kind.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Peter reminds us that when we are in God we need to be intentional about getting rid of some things.  Ever have someone who hurt you – especially someone who got away with it?  We need to get rid of hateful feelings and slander.  Ever know the truth and how to act but intentionally do the opposite?  We need to get rid of hypocrisy.  Ever want something that someone else has?  We need to get rid of envy.  Ever lie to someone to make you yourself get something you want or make yourself seem better than you are in a circumstance?  We need to get rid of deception.  Following God is about truth and community.  We need to get rid of that which destroys truth and community.

Where in your life do you have truth and community?  Where in your life do you not have truth in your community because of how you act?

Second Thought:

We are to long for genuine and pure substance.  Peter is not telling us that we need to be simple like babies or not participate in the world around us as babies.  Peter is telling us that as babies long for the pure sustenance that comes from their mothers we are to long for the pure sustenance that can only come from God.  Everything that comes from us or comes from the world will only satisfy for a short time before it fades.  But the life that comes from God sustains here as well as into the future – even beyond the gate of death.

Where in your life are you reminded to be sustained by God?  Where in your life do you still rely on your own sustenance?

Third Thought:

Peter gives us a nice reminded in the last words of this verse.  We do grow into our salvation.  We aren’t saved because we grow, we grow because we are saved!  But most importantly, it all begins with God.  We experience that the Lord is kind.  Our salvation begins with the Lord’s kindness.

How do you understand your life in God’s kindness?  When you speak to others about your salvation, do you talk about your actions first or God’s action?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Peter 2:4-6