Milk or Steak, what'll it be?

My son recieved his learner's liscence about 3 weeks ago. He's been itching to get behind the wheel of the car ever since. Unfortunately, for him (lucky for me?) it snowed quite a bit right after that and then we were just busy and couldn't take him out driving. And the first time out is with his Dad in a large empty lot. That's the rule according to his sister who has had her learner's for almost a year now. Because that is the way it was done with her. So now it's a rule. There is no way her brother can drive down a street without first enduring the parking lot training, because that just would not be fair now would it. So finally, on Sunday, the young man's Dad took him to the infamous parking lot. And then again yesterday.

As I got in the car last night to go to bible study, things just did not feel right. I could barely touch the pedal with my toes and the seat was ramrod straight. Adjustments had to be made. The other day when I got in the car not bothering to pause to think how the seats may be, I almost broke my knee caps off on the steering wheel and felt like the breath was being squeezed out of me as if a boa constrictor was squishing me. I then realized Basketball girl must have driven the car last. Her legs are shorter. So as I tried to get my hand past my winter coat, which was adding to the effect of being squished as it was taking up precious centimeters of space between the seat and steering wheel, I fought the feeling of panic. Panic at not being able to breathe and panic at the thought that someone would have to call the 911 crew and they would have to use the jaws of life to extract me from this embarrassing situation. I could see the headlines now: "Jaws of life used to extract Mother from vehicle. No accident to report. Daughter admits to leaving the car seat adjusted forward. No charges to be laid."

But as I finally was able to get the bar pulled up and the seat slid back, and as air filled my lungs again and oxygen got to my brain, I thought "Man, these kids have grown up." And while the thought is scarey, children do grow. No matter what we try to do to keep them little. If we feed them good food, they will grow. They start with the basic milk because that is what they're tummies can handle, and then slowly new, more solid food is introduced into their diet, till eventually they can pack away a bigger steak than their Dad. It's the way God created them. To grow.

It's like that with us as God's children also. When we are babes in Christ, newly come to Him, we are to desire the milk of God's Word.

"like newborn babies, long for the
pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to
salvation"

I Peter 2:2 NASB

But God desires us to to grow from that. Just as in our earthly lives we cannot forever just drink milk and remain babies, so it is with the spiritual. We must move past that point of only wanting the "milk" of the Word. Paul admonishes the Hebrews because they were not growing.

"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!
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."

Hebrews 5:11 - 14 NIV

As in the natural, in the things of God we need to grow. God does not expect us to remain babies forever, as I would not expect my children to remain babes. And as they grow in height, I also expect them to grow in maturity and in knowledge and wisdom. I don't want them in great big adult bodies and acting naive and immature like a 2 year old. How awful that would be! No with years being added onto their lives, a maturity and growth are expected.

And as we feed our babies in steps with food, so God feeds us with His Word. We are to know His word and desire to grow in it. 2 Timothy 2:15 in the Amplified Bible tells us:

"Study and be eager and do your utmost
to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no
cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing - rightly
handling and skilfully teaching - the Word of Truth"

Then when we are feeding on God's Word we will know how to discern when those things come along that are contrary to it and be mature. In this day and age with so many teachings and totally false doctrines, it is especially important to know God's Word for ourselves. We cannot go by "I feel". That is how young children are. What they feel is what dictates to them on how to react. But we as parents teach them to use wisdom as they grow not necessarily feelings. Feelings shift and change and are unreliable. Ask me when I'm in the middle of PMS if my emotions and feelings are reliable. But God's Word does not change. It is the same yesterday, today and forever.

To seek Him and know what He has said within His Word. That is our food. That is what will grow us into mature workman in God's kingdom. This is what I desire. This is my prayer. For me. For my children. For you.