Solid Food is for the Mature

…for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 11:13-14

In a recent dream, I saw a group of people walking downstairs to the lowest level of a building, maybe a restaurant, away from the crowds. On a work table, a raw steak and a tool to tenderize it was provided for each of them. But the tool had to be hammered out before it was usable. Some in the group hammered out the tool for use. Others in the group took a shortcut and tried to tenderize the steak with their hands, and the meat lost its shape. Someone said, “Don’t play with the food.” The group who took the time to hammer out the tenderizing tool knew it was foolish to take the shortcut or “play with the food.”

• Symbolism: I believe the low level is a place of humility and hiddenness. I would also suggest that this represents the secret place with God. The steak represents the will of God — mature food. The tool provided is the Word of God. We don’t make the tool (Word), but we have to “hammer it out” and know it in order to apply it.

I’ll start with the bottom line: Shortcuts in discipleship are a self-centered approach to kingdom living. They won’t get us anywhere but keep us in a perpetual state of infancy. At some point, if we want to grow in Christ, we have to say playtime is over.

I want to encourage us to clothe ourselves in humility and spend time with God. I know I talk about the secret place a lot, but it’s an area we should never neglect. And that takes diligence! So, I’ll keep talking about it.

Because…

It’s in the hidden place with God where we hammer out the Word of God. We read it. We inquire with the Lord about it. We meditate on it and hide it in our hearts. As we do that, we are able to use the Word of God rightly! It trains our discernment.

One of the ways we apply the Word is to the will of God. It helps us understand what God is asking. And though there is always a measure of self-denial when it comes to following God’s lead, when the Word of God is hidden in our hearts, it tenderizes God’s will so we are able to partake. It may be more theologically correct to say the Word tenderized our hearts for the will of God. Either way, the will of God without without a love for his Word, is too much. We will be like infants trying to eat steak.

It is foolishness to try to handle, control, or manipulate God’s will. Understanding God’s will comes from knowing and loving his Word–loving him! That happens in the secret place. Otherwise, we will try to bend his will to our will. That’s immaturity, and it causes us to miss out on God’s life. Life with Jesus is full of joy. The fullness of joy, to be exact. Fullness, as in completed and mature.

Let’s get low and grow! Let’s take this tool, the Word of God, that has been given to us and treasure it, dig into it. Let it divide soul from spirit, and let it be a light to our feet.

Your will, God, is our delight!

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2