At times we all feel anxious in our faith. Challenges make us question God, and distrust his promises of goodness and care. As we hack our way through a difficult world, it’s healthy to wrestle and share frustrations with the Lord.

Far worse for our faith is to give up and become complacent. The writer of Hebrews penned this warning to church members:

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand…though you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you…you need milk not solid food!

This group stopped trying to understand the ways of the Lord. Why? Not for lack of good teaching or good people in their midst. Perhaps their gatherings grew comfortable, easy to slide in and slide out. Maybe in their city it was safer to keep quiet about their new faith in an unknown Messiah.

Or could it be that ongoing compromise with the values of the world kept them immature? This forms our overarching temptation today. Society wants you and I to mouth the phrase God is love, but disregard the reality that God is truth, and his truth requires adherence on our part.

Balancing both God’s love and God’s truth raises all sorts of uncomfortable issues. As a result a follower of Jesus clashes with the broader culture. True in the first century when this was written (remember the martyrs) and true today (people face persecution for their faith every day).

In the midst of our raucous world a milk diet fails to satisfy. Those who never expand their palate slip away. Complacency strangles the spirit—I’ve seen it over and over. Don’t let your faith journey stop with bland milk and stale crackers.

Living by the book requires sound teaching and rigorous application—you’ll need your strength. Eat something solid today.

Hebrews 5 & 6 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Jason Leung