7 December 2006

Today we move into the second chapter of 1 Peter.

Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation - if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (2:1-3)

We are all invited to join in this turning. It is brought about from being fed with the grace of God as we know it in Christ, Jesus. The invitation to turn comes from having a taste of the vision of the Lord. If there was not already in place the promise and the call and the vision into which we are able to walk, there would be no turning. Why turn when the ways of the world seem to work...and if they don't, we are told that they will. Simply try harder - pull up your bootstraps - whatever!?! But if we work in the ways of the world, we will be folded into all the stuff in our lives of which we are to rid ourselves. When we are turned-in-on-ourselves (much like the world in all its brokenness), there will be the growing of envy and lust for more and bad talk toward others and insincere living and...a whole boat load of living examples of a life broken and full of the evidence of our sinfulness. I always like the image of the "tasting" of the Lord. It is like the hymn "taste and see." We are invited to become so much a part of this story of life that we can taste it and in that we begin to see how real it is and how real it becomes a part of our own lives.

Connection: We have so many things in our day that taste foul. Sometimes, we are the ones that cook them up. So, what are we to do? Find ways to return to that "milk" that nourishes us and brings about a fullness of life that we so often miss.

Blessed Lord, in your coming you invite us to follow and as we follow you encourage us to trust in your promises so that as we move through this day we will find a richness in our lives that keeps us filled to the brim with your life of hope and freedom. Help us to settle into that place within your promise. Amen.