Dancing in the Light

I John 1:7 "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin."

Name:
Location: North Platte, Nebraska, United States

I am a christian wife, mother and grandmother. I am a licensed Social worker and a licensed Christian counselor. I am most proud of the relationships I have with God, my family and friends all over the world. I have been blessed beyond my dreams.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Quench

My grandson has an affinity for milk. He does not want coke, or juice, or koolaid, he wants milk. At almost three, he can verbalize that milk is what he has to have. He will drink other liquids if they are placed before him in his sippy cup, but as soon as he finishes, he says, "I'm ready for my milk now." He will drink milk all day long and never grow tired of it. It is the first thing he wants in the morning, even before a hug and the last thing he wants at night, it is his dessert. He never, at least not once since he's been here, asks for anything else. I don't know if it is the flavor that he likes, or the nutritional value that his body craves or just the fact that milk is soothing and comforting and quenches his thirst. He just loves milk.
I wish I had that same kind of craving for the Word of God. The kind where I just had to be in the holy scriptures several times a day. The kind that made me need it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. The kind of craving that made everything else unsatisfying. Can you imagine watching a show on television anticipating the end credits so you could hurry and get into the Word. Going to a game or a race and hurrying home so you could study? Wouldn't it be great to really, I mean really, crave the flavor of the Word? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we found the Word soothing and comforting? If it was the only thing that quenched our thirst? If we wanted to partake in the spiritual nutrition offered by the Word? What if we just couldn't ever get enough?
I don't drink milk very often. Every once in a blue moon, if we are having chocolate cake with chocolate icing, a nice small, glass of cold milk sounds good. I don't like the taste of milk, I don't like the way it sits in my stomach or the way it feels on my tongue. I know I drank it when I was a small child. I probably even asked for it then. And yes, I know all the data about calcium intake and vitamin d and all the healthy advantages of drinking milk. But, I still don't like it. I forced myself to drink it when I was pregnant and breastfeeding. I even tried to set a good examply for my children by choking down a glass with them. I don't have a taste for milk and milk is not something I would crave. I know I don't drink enough milk. I have instead chosen to supplement my nutritional needs with vitamins and such. I should drink more milk but I would rather drink iced tea or Dr. Pepper or coffee, none of which are nutritious or have the benefits of milk.
Sadly, many of us have the same sort of consumption of the Word as I do milk. There was a point in our lives when we were new babes in Christ and we just couldn't get enough. Then we allowed the sweet taste of other literature, other entertainment to alter our desires. We then started supplementing our spiritual needs with groups and rallies and fellowships, with spiritual activities. These are great and important but they are no substitute for time in the Book. There may have been times when we were becoming parents or when our children were small that we really fed on the Word, realizing it was important to their spiritual well-being. And later, we started evening family devotions, ( many of us stopped and started this several times ) we let our children see us reading the Word, for awhile. But, we got busy and those times were the easiest to let go. Occasionally now, we still feed on the Word, but the time, the setting and everything else has to be just right, and even then we only want a small taste. We continue to substitute and supplement, hoping or almost expecting to mature spiritually healthy and fully functioning.
I love that little Kyle desires milk. I love that even when he is offered a choice, he chooses milk. I love that he looks forward to a glass of milk and seems to enjoy it so much. Oh, that I had the same affinity for God's Word. I know the Holy Scriptures provide all the nuturing, comfort and spiritual nutrition we need. I know time listening to God is important for long life, maturity and health. I know that there is a power in the Word, a power that will quench my thirst like nothing else. And just perhaps it is an acquired taste--------one that requires tasting!

Peace
Neva

27 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are so right--we have let the taste of good be replaced with worldly tastes.

Good job

Jean

11:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"As the deer pants . . . "


Great thoughts, dear sister

Pat

11:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What if we just couldn't get enough?

Great thought.

Dan

BTW, your post is timed 6:25 am. I checked it all morning and it just now posted? You should change to WordPress. IMO

12:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm with you. I want so badly to want to be in the word and study it more, but I can always find excuses of why now is not a good time. I believe Satan must really be smiling when we put off, even for a little while, time with God's holy word. That may have been the scripture we most needed at that time to prepare us for the moments to come.
I pray that God shows me the importance of staying in His word, and relishing the insight it gives.

Great post.

12:22 PM  
Blogger Neva said...

Thank you, Keith,
It is so difficult to make the time and yet so essential for our growth. I don't know why it seems so difficult to really study and spend time with God, other than preparing for a lesson or a speaking engagement. I agree Satan probably smiles a lot.
Thanks for the comment
Peace
neva
ps. I have been missing you, assumed you were very busy with end of school/beginning of summer stuff.
n

12:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm with you. I am so down on myself about how little I crave the Word. What is wrong with me?! Thanks for this thoughtful post, Neva.

1:15 PM  
Blogger Neva said...

Lisa,
I get down on me, too. I don't know if it is necessarily something wrong with us as much as so many other things have our attention. Its kind of like keeping up with laundry and dishes and dusting and vacuuming but forgetting to cook and bathe. I think we ---not just you, we just need to reprioritize.
I am so glad to see you here today.
Peace
neva

1:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sometimes I have noticed God allows things to happen to me that increase my thirst and nothing else quenches it like being in the word. I am grateful for those times and probably should pray for even more of them.
Good post, Neva, worth waiting for. :)

Love ya
Kel

1:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am like you, I want to spend more time in the bible but I just dont do it.

Carlos

2:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great post! I wonder if all of my modern luxuries are merely satan-endorsed distractions from what's REALLY important!

3:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The spiritual benefits of drinking in God's word are very similar to those of milk, the least being that it is healthy for us.
Thank you for the post


Rachel

4:13 PM  
Blogger The Preacher's Household: said...

You can get fat if you drink a lot of milk. It would probably be a good thing to be big and fat on the Bible.
:)

4:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Remember the old ad, "Milk it does a body good" ? That could also be said about the word of God and the body of Christ,
Cool, huh?

Lyndsay

4:49 PM  
Blogger Neva said...

Kathy,
You are right, why would God want spiritually anorexic christians?
Lyndsay,
Girl, you are funny! That is cool. Wish I'd thought of that.

n

4:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Neva, you inspire me. I stand amazed at the depth of your insight and the wisdom of your words. Keep up the great posts. You are doing a good work.

Bless you
Corinne

5:53 PM  
Blogger jel said...

great post , to have that craving to get into to word and not want to stop ,


soy milk is what we drink, and it is very good,

8:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Neva, I wish we could all say we were addicted to the word, that we crave it like an addict craves drugs. Then it would be our focus, it would be a consuming desire.
That would be amazing.

Shari

9:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are so right, we cannot grow without the word of God. It is our sustenance. good post today.


Karin

10:13 PM  
Blogger TREY MORGAN said...

I love your blog....

10:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great encouragement.


Jeneane

10:26 PM  
Blogger Monalea said...

Neva, you have given me something to ponder. I want to crave the Word like your precious grandson craves milk.

Monalea

11:22 PM  
Blogger Lori said...

I have really enjoyed your post today. Your post always amaze me how you relate that things of this world to growing in Christ.

4:51 AM  
Blogger Speaking Thru Me Ministries said...

Oh to desire the Word that much - like Kyle and milk. My dream and certainly my prayer.

What a blessed writer you are.

thank you!

6:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, you know my thoughts on this subject. Sadly though even some who are living on a diet of pure sugar have convinced themselves its milk. I think too many have the "tastes like chicken" syndrome for all they read and hear and do for the Lord. It all "tastes like milk" to them.

Possibly the best post I've read all year.

6:56 AM  
Blogger Neva said...

Yall are very kind. Thank you for your comments.

have a blessed day
n

9:07 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We need to acquire the taste. No one ever liked something, ever craved something until they tried it once or twice. If we would just get into studying the Bible we would probably enjoy the "spiritual rush" so much that we would acquire a taste and an insatiable desire for it. Great post today.

Carol

9:24 AM  
Blogger Liz Moore said...

Another great post Neva. I too wish I had that type of thirst. I have learned, that the more I'm in the word, the more I seem to crave it. But we can't crave if we never taste it. Great reminders! Liz

6:03 PM  

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