Solid Food

I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands.—Psalm 119:131

One of the delights of being a grandmother is seeing all the changes in my precious granddaughter Addie.  Recently Addie began eating solid foods—well, pureed foods.  Her mother Tara prepares good, wholesome meals for her six month-old, starting with fresh, nutritious foods, like squash, carrots, and apples.  She cooks them till they are palatable and then purees them till they are of a safe consistency for Addie.  The other day I was honored with the pleasure of feeding Addie.  But first I had to situate her in her seat, snap a bib around her neck, and stir the heated food. All the while, Addie eyed the food and wriggled in her seat.  As I spooned the mixture, she opened her mouth and uttered a sound. And so the feeding frenzy ensued.  As soon as she swallowed one spoonful, her mouth was open and panting for the next, longing for more of her delicious meal.

I thought about these words from the letter to the Hebrews, “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”—Hebrews 5:14

Addie is mature enough for solid food.  Now that she has tasted it, she craves it—even pants for it. Eating is an enjoyable experience for her.  All the food may not make it to her tummy, as she is learning to slurp from the spoon. She may spew food onto her bib (or my shirt!) and end up with a messy mouth, smeared with squash, but she is satisfied and content.  As I study God’s word, the more I will crave it—even pant for it.  And with constant use, righteousness will spew from me, and contentment will show on my face, being smeared from ear to ear.

Dear Father, thank You for Your word that trains me in righteousness. Your words are sweet to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 1119:103).  I long for the next spoonful. Amen.