Just Pondering
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Rick Branan |
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone — rejected by people but chosen and honored by God — you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:1-5 (CSBBible)
Benjamin Beddome was born at Henley-in Arden, Warwickshire, January 23, 1717. His father was a Baptist minister. He studied at various places and began preaching in 1740. He was pastor of a Baptist society at Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, until his death in 1795. In 1770, he received the degree of M.A. from the Baptist College in Providence, Rhode Island. He published several discourses and hymns. His hymns, to the number of 830, were published in 1818, with a recommendation from Robert Hall. Montgomery speaks of him as a "writer worthy of honour both for the quantity and the quality of his hymns."
--Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872
God, In the Gospel of His Son
God, in the gospel of his Son,
makes his eternal counsels known;
where love in all its glory shines,
and truth is drawn in fairest lines.
Here sinners of a humble frame
may taste his grace and learn his name;
may read, in characters of blood,
the wisdom, pow'r, and grace of God.
The pris'ner here may break his chains;
the weary rest from all his pains;
the captive feel his bondage cease;
the mourner find the way of peace.
Here faith reveals to mortal eyes
a brighter world beyond the skies;
here shines the light which guides our way
from earth to realms of endless day.
O grant us grace, almighty Lord,
to read and mark your holy Word;
its truths with meekness to receive,
and by its holy precepts live.
Written by Benjamin Beddome
Do you like milk? When we were kids, my mom made us drink milk at dinner every night. I didn’t like the taste, so she bought Nestle’s chocolate milk powder. That I liked. My wife still doesn’t like milk, even if you add chocolate.
Peter is telling us to desire pure spiritual milk, no chocolate added. The Greek word for desire means to crave intensely. That spiritual milk is God’s Word. New babies know how to do a couple of things. They cry and sleep. They cry because they are hungry. They crave milk. When my niece was born, my sister put her on a strict regimen and was only allowing her a fixed amount of milk at each feeding. Layne balked and would cry and cry. My sister finally relented, gave her more milk and she was satisfied. We need to have that craving for God’s Word. Peter continues to teach us that as God’s children, we need to seek the Lord through the Word. Why? Because we are being molded into priests to offer spiritual sacrifices. Paul tells us, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.”
Benjamin Beddome writes this idea as, “O grant us grace, almighty Lord, to read and mark your holy Word; its truths with meekness to receive, and by its holy precepts live.” We need to be people of the Word, reading, studying, and applying the truths to our lives every day.
Pray for VBS this week. We are trying to teach kids in our community to crave the spiritual milk of God’s Word.
Just pondering . . . Bro. Rick