Get It In

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.
1st John 4:7-17a NLT

Have you ever watched a baby try to eat when he's just learning to feed himself? It's comical to watch. He gets more ON himself (and the high chair and everything else) than he gets IN his mouth and he's trying to get it ALL. Sometimes, there's such a mess that you have to wonder if he's getting enough in to provide the nourishment he needs. But a watchful parent is usually there to make sure enough actually gets in. Then there's the clean-up. What a mess! You might be covered in it, but unless you got some in your mouth, you're still hungry, maybe even borderline starving.

We all know that getting something all over you is WAY different than getting it IN you. It's rather like that when we first come to the Lord. We try to get it all in - as much as we can - because we're so hungry for Him! But in the beginning, we make lots of messes. Don't be discouraged! Don't give up! God's Word tells us in Ephesians 5: 25 that He sanctifies and cleanses us with the washing of water by the word. And then we start to hit the mark, taking in the richness of His Word, digesting it and putting it to use in the body.

Don't be confused. Getting it all over you is NOT the same as getting it in you. Physically or spiritually. Pray to know the difference.

Prayer:

Father,
           Don't let us be confused. Teach us what is proper nutrition to produce good fruit in our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen