Have you ever watched an infant eat? A baby clutches the bottle, smacks his lips, and makes noises of contentment. He thoroughly enjoys his milk. But there comes a time when milk doesn’t satisfy a baby’s appetite anymore. That’s when a whole world of culinary possibilities opens up.

Comparing new believers to babies, Peter said that they “long for the pure milk of the word” (1 Peter 2:2). You wouldn’t feed a newborn steak and spinach, would you? Well, baby Christians must sip scriptural truths that they understand. Then, they feast on Bible passages, gradually taking in more.

Believers aren’t left alone to make sense of Scripture any more than babies and young children are expected to get their own meals. The Holy Spirit illuminates the Word, making the meaning clear to those who seek to understand. Moreover, according to Ephesians 4:11-16, pastors and teachers are charged with equipping the saints for service. They instruct, clarify, and motivate people to grow in their personal faith and to fulfill the church’s purpose of reaching the lost.

God’s Word is a feast for our heart, mind, and spirit. This is one banquet table where there is no such thing as taking too much.