We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! (Hebrews 5:11-12)
This came up during my small group last week and is a regular dilemma. When you wake up in the morning, how do you decide what to study from the Word of God? Do you go with a “verse of the day” calendar? Do you have a study plan (Bible in a year)? Have you just picked up a great book that’s challenging and inspiring you? (Then what do you do when you’re done?)
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (v 13-14)
I liken it to training. An athlete has specific training plans. A basketball player struggling with free throws will be practicing free throws. A football player may be practicing pass-blocking. All of their training revolves around improving in that specific area: hands-on training, weight training, even diet are intentionally geared towards getting better.
In the passage above, our own Bible study is training us to distinguish good from evil. But our diet needs to compliment our exercise. We cannot grow on milk alone, we need solid food. In fact, we should be teaching one another, but cannot because we are so immature. So we need to identify our weaknesses and focus our training.
In what area of growth do you need focused training?
What does your diet consist of?
Does your blogging/blog-reading consist of milk or solid food?
Right now I am reading Love & War by John Eldridge, intentionally focusing on my marriage. I've been complimenting that reading with the Living On The Edge series House or Home. Once I'm done with that… we'll see. I entered the year with a specific reading plan (list of books/topics) but have wandered off that path, so I'll likely get back on it.
I loved Love & War…such a great book. I have been studying whole books of the bible over extended periods of time, take a break and then go back to them again. Amos. Habbakuk. Daniel. Over the past couple of months.
For "leisurely" reading I'm studying a couple of titles by Thomas Cahill. Having just finished a Donald Miller and a Anne Graham Lotz book.
Thanks, Jessica. As a blogger, I'm interested in your thoughts on the last question- do you count your blog reading as milk or solid food? There's definately both out there and there's nothing wrong with that, but I catch myself relying too much on what I read online and not enough of what I should be studying from the Word. I'm curious if others find themselves tempted in the same way. As for this space, I try and be as 'meaty' as my time allows, but sometimes I'm definately more 'milky'. Thanks for commenting.
Frank…I don't really have much time for a ton of blog reading so I attempt to just stick with what catches my eye or heart for the day.
One thing that often happens is that what I am studying offline and in the Word seems to run a theme and then I find that theme in articles. So what I need to affirm or add to where I am right now "happens" to be thoughts from others. I try to be a girl of substance and not the fluff. I don't do too much fluff 🙂
I think things stand out that are already on our hearts. That's why it's so important to meditate on the Word- that way we can see the world through that lens. I suppose when we're deep in our Bible study, we'll find blogs to be the same way. Thanks again for sharing.