Stuck on Pablum

Hebrews 5:11-14  We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 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.

            Pablum (1931, Mead Johnson & Company) was a breakthrough in nutritional science for the health of babies. Although it was not the first baby food, it was the first baby food to come precooked and thoroughly dried making it easy to prepare at home. Pablum—a mixture of cereal grains and fortified with vitamins and minerals—made digestion easy on a baby’s stomach without adverse side effects. Yet as we all know, babies grow, and quickly need something more than milk and purees. They grow quickly into the need for solid food.

            This is the analogy we find described in the Hebrews passage. Although the author of Hebrews is uncertain, it is clear that he is directing his comments to listeners whom for whatever reason were not moving forward in their Spiritual growth. I get a sense of frustration from the author as he makes it clear that he would like to say more but recognizes the audience’s lack of understanding. In fact, more than this, it is their lack of willingness to try that seems to be the source of the author’s frustration. The phrase by this time would indicate that these were not new Christians, but Christians who had time to learn and grow but were not willing to make the effort.

            So how does a Christian become mature—someone who understands the elementary truths of God’s word? How do we avoid becoming stuck on Pablum? On this point the author does a great job of answering this question. Becoming mature—understanding the elementary truths of God’s word—comes by constant use of God’s word and training themselves to distinguish between good from evil. The only way to learn from God’s word, is to read God’s word, and to put it into practice—on a daily level.

James 1:22  Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.     

Gracious Heavenly Father,

            Thank you for providing such powerful examples for us in your written Word—both of things we should avoid, as well as things we should put into practice. Your Word is clear. Forgive us for treating it so casually and lacking motivation to delve deeper. Help us to grow and mature in the light of your truth.

            In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotional Stuck on Pablum appeared first on Write From My Heart at writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com