All babies like milk. God made them to need it. Milk gives them the nutrients needed to grow. When a baby gets hungry, he will cry. The mother knows that the baby needs more milk.

We are supposed to be like the baby. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). We should desire the Word of God, just like a baby desires milk. Do you cry if you do not get to study your Bible? There are not very many people in this world who desire God’s Word that much, but God wants all humans to desire his Word that much.

Many people do not understand the milk of God. There are many who think following God is nothing more than having a ‘feeling.’ They believe that once a person gets the ‘feeling’ of being saved, then there is nothing more to do. They do not believe there is a need for Bible study.

The words ‘of the word’ in our verse, are from the Greek word logikos. This word means logical or reasonable. Thus, the verse could read, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere logical word, that ye may grow thereby.” Growth in the grace and mercy of God is not solely dependent upon feelings. The milk of God is logical or reasonable. This means that the mind must be used in thinking about God’s Word.

His commandments are logical. They are not just statements made out of unthinking emotions. Neither is obedience to God based in unthinking feelings. A person must study and meditate on God’s Word so that they can know what to do to be obedient. Therefore, a person must desire to use his mind in desiring to follow God. A person must desire the milk of reason or logic.

Make sure you know how to obey God. Make sure you know how to grow into the Christian God wants you to be. Study your Bible, and if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.

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Forgive How Many Times?

The Jews had many regulations that they followed simply by tradition. These were not laws that God had given. These were rules that the rabbis and other leaders decided upon over the centuries. The Pharisees were exact in following these rules, and they expected everyone else to live by those rules.

One of the settled rules was that forgiveness should not be extended more than three times. Thus, if a person offended you and then repented, you were to forgive him. If he offended a second time, you were to forgive him. If he offended a third time and repented, you were to forgive him. If he offended a fourth time, you were not required to forgive him if he repented. In fact, you were not to forgive him.

Jesus told his disciples in Luke 17:3-4, that if a man trespassed against you seven times in one day you should forgive him if he repented. Peter came to Jesus in Matthew 18:21-22 and asked how many times a person should be forgiven. Peter asked if he should forgive seven times. Jesus said no, not seven times. Instead, Jesus said you should forgive seventy times seven. The point Jesus was making was that there is no numerical value to forgiving someone. A person who is sincere in his repentance should always be forgiven.

I am glad that Jesus stated this. All of us sin and offend God. Some of us may be weak and repeatedly sin. Yet, God is willing to forgive us if we repent—no matter how many times we may sin. Therefore, if God is willing to forgive us, we should be willing to forgive others.

Study your Bible. Learn how to obey God. Take comfort in God’s forgiveness. Extend that forgiving attitude to others, and if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.