Falling Off Like Leaves

My second favorite time of year (behind winter) is fall. I love the crisp air, the beautiful leaves, pumpkin cookies and coffees, and the boots and scarves I get to wear. One of my favorite parts is the leaves falling. Maybe this is a little weird, because they are dying, but they always remind me of my life.

This leads me to one of my favorite passages in the Bible. It comes off possibly the most “decorated” pages in my Bible. I have marked this page up and down with purple pen, written notes, smiley faces, exclamation points, and underlined so many things. First Peter 2:1-5 (though I may use some after that) is this awesome passage I am talking about.

So rid yourselves of all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisy envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, desire the unadulterated spiritual mild, so that you may grow by it in your salvation, since you have tasted that the Lord is good. Coming to Him, a living stone-rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God- you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

I absolutely love this passage. I don’t have any reason why, but it always sticks out to me and means something different to me each time I read it.

This book was written by Peter to fellow believers being persecuted in Asia Minor. In the opening of this letter he begins to say that you are set apart, given a living hope, then he begins to explain what we should do since we are set apart. I’d encourage you to read all of 1 Peter. It isn’t long at all. It is five chapters in all and you can read it in one sitting, five nights, or whatever you fancy.

The reason I told the background and summarized (very briefly) the first chapter is to let you know that what Peter says in 1:13-the end of the book isn’t optional. We, as Christians, are set apart and therefore are called to be different.

Because we have been born again, we desire to grow. All babies desire to grow. They desire milk and it is a natural instinct for them to do so. So by Peter saying here that we should desire the unadulterated (pure) spiritual milk, it isn’t anything strange. We have been born again and need nourishment (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).

Because of this we must get rid of all things wicked. If we are born again we must DESIRE the “spiritual milk” to grow in Christ because we have the experience that Christ is good. We are valuable to God and are set apart.

I really feel like that last paragraph doesn’t make sense, but it is SO important. I am all about some lists so I think I just might use one right now.

1. Become set apart (born again)

2. Desire the “basics” of Christianity*

3. Grow in our salvation

*by basics, I mean v. 1 of chapter 2. We must turn away from the world and desire to be in Christ & because we are in Christ we cannot be in the world (Romans 12:1-2)

So, back to the first paragraph of this blog. Though it may be weird that I like leaves dying, I think it really is an encouragement to me. Though Peter was talking to “baby” Christians, it speaks to me, a Christian of almost 11 years, just as much. We must die to ourselves to be born again. Though the leaves die in the fall and are dead all winter, they are born again! In spring the trees begin to produce leaves and fruit and flowers. I know this cycle repeats every year, and I feel that we have to that too. Because we are human, we mess up and need to start over sometimes. Not another “re-birth,” but more of a “refresher.” We get filled with the world and we need to take a few days, weeks, months, or even years to focus again on Christ. Peter is telling us here that we need to crave the basics. We need to get rid of all wickedness, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander, and just remember that God is good and focus on that.

So on a personal note, I’d like to say that God is good. This summer, I have been so blessed and deserve none of it. I have received encouragement, renewed relationships, let go of some, made friends, been renewed in the Spirit, and have had the ability to minister to people that I have been praying about for a long time.

I leave for college in 17 days and cannot wait to see where God will take me in this next chapter in my life. I hope to post a few more times before I leave, but I can’t guarantee anything. And when I start school, all bets are off. I do hope that I am able to continue, God willing, this blog and see where it takes me. Who knows, maybe I’ll start my book!

Peace to all of you who are in Christ. -2 Peter 5:14

-Meghan