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Response
Jeff Weinkauf1 Peter 2: 1-3
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
I know that I should be good, but I like to know why. Why informs my decision making. If you tell me to do something but I don't yet understand the why, I find it harder to move forward.
This is one of those verses where the "because" comes at the end. If you read it backwards it looks like this.
"So that...you may grow up in your salvation, now that you've tasted that the Lord is good..." therefore rid yourselves of all malice etc. So the reason is a response to God's goodness. Because of His goodness I'm compelled to act differently, and because of that I'll grow spiritually. That's the why.
Today, I think the best thing for me to do is to think a lot about the Lord's goodness. Not just the good things He's done for me, but just the fact that He is, good. That along with good input (pure spiritual milk) will allow me to continue moving towards maturity.
Then because He is good, and because I have good input getting rid of the "bad stuff" will be much more doable.
God today help me to better understand who you are, and what your nature is like. I know you are good. Help me to see that and grow in my understanding of what that means to me and to our church. Amen
