THE GOOD WORD

1 Peter 1:24-2:3 

"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever."  And this is the word that was preached to you. Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Peter tended to be kind of a slow study, he didn’t always get things right away; but when he saw the truth his understanding was deep.  What we see in these few verses is real wisdom.  Peter, with the help of the Holy Spirit, figured out what is really important and why. 

As far as our physical life in this world is concerned, we are like grass; we live and grow and serve our purpose and then we are gone.  We live on planet earth only for a brief season.  Many people, like the flowers, beautify their surroundings.  Everything around them is sweeter and nicer because they were there.  Praise the Lord for that; still, their beauty lasts only for a season.  The Word of God stands in stark contrast to all this.  While men come and go, and the institutions of men come and go, God’s Word stands unchanged forever.  And, as Peter says, that Word is the message that was (and is) preached to you – it is the Good News, the Gospel. 

Therefore, he says, live for the thing that lasts not for the thing that’s passing away.  Hunger for what’s real.  Thirst for what’s true.  Crave whatever it is that will enable your spirit to grow and become stronger.  Feed the part of you that will endure.  Grow up in your salvation. 

Unfortunately, many people have the idea that feeding on the Word is like having to eat something they don’t like.  Well, that’s just wrong.  The truth is that the more you get to know the Word, the more you want to know the Word.  It is kind of like Grandma’s cobbler; once you taste it you don’t need much encouragement to eat some more.  One little taste and you know it’s good.  So it is with God!  So it is with God’s Word!  “Taste and see that the LORD is good. . .”  (Psalm 34:8).

--- Pastor Keith Andrews