Encouraging Milk Drinking

By Pastor Wilson

I’m sure we’ve all heard the slogan, “Milk: It Does a Body Good” before. The long-running motto of the dairy industry has been ingraining the benefits of milk drinking in our minds for more than 30 years. And while some dispute the notion- most agree that milk provides healthy benefits with or without the milk moustache.

Yesterday in our weekly worship service on Trinity’s YouTube page we talked about a different kind of milk to help us grow in our faith. 1 Peter 2:2-3 says this, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” The spiritual milk Peter is talking about here is the Word of God and especially the Gospel message of what Jesus has done for us. Peter implores his hearers and each of us to long for and seek after God’s Word so that we would grow in the gift of faith that God has given us. You see, spiritual milk does a body good too.

Trinity members know how often we stress being in God’s Word at church. Just as milk is important for a newborn baby, God’s Word is just as important for you and me who have been born again into God’s family through our baptisms. We need it daily- and yet the devil constantly tries to pull us away from the hearing and reading of God’s Word. I think the devil is using our current situation as we journey through this time of pandemic to try and pull us away from God’s Word too. That’s why we have been working to continue to produce material that can point us back to God’s Word- even when we can’t do it together in the same place. We hope our weekly radio and video services, Acts Bible Study handouts, weekly devotions, Verses with Vicar, and more have helped you to do that- but we also hope you have gone beyond what we can provide.

That’s why I asked during our Trinity Zoom Fellowship time yesterday for people to share how they have stayed connected to God’s Word during this time of pandemic. I shared some helpful ways that I have found and I was blessed to hear several wonderful suggestions from you. So for those of you who didn’t join us, I wanted to share some of them here to encourage you to keep seeking out God’s Word in the days to come.

Bible Apps

ESV Bible App – This free app for your smartphone or tablet is a simple and clean Bible app that provides the entire ESV text of scripture. I especially appreciate the various Bible reading plans offered and that you can have the app read to you as well. In my usual 10-15 minute drive between home and church I can listen to 3-4 chapters of scripture. What a great blessing!

YouVersion Bible App – Another free app that was suggested during our fellowship time. This one also has reading plans and offers the scripture in over 2,000 version and over 1,300 languages!

Lutheran Hour Ministries Daily Devotions – A free app from LHM that offers daily devotions from a Lutheran perspective. These short devotions can be read or listened to and provide a wonderful start to your day in God’s Word.

PrayNow App – This app from Concordia Publishing House is the Treasury of Daily pray in your hand! Each day gives you a daily lectionary reading from the Psalms, Old Testament, New Testament, a writing from a church father, a hymn, and a prayer of the day. This app costs a one-time payment of $8.99.

Recorded Services

During this time, I have been blessed by the live streamed or recorded services from a number of LCMS churches around the country. There are two that I have really appreciated- perhaps you would like to add them to your own weekly worship list along with Trinity’s service.

Immanuel Lutheran, Washington, MO

Christ Church Lutheran, Phoenix, AZ

Both churches have produced beautiful and encouraging services grounded in God’s Word during our time of pandemic, as well as daily video devotions. If you get a chance, you should check them out.

I know these resources just scratch the surface of all the ways we can drink up the spiritual milk of God’s Word. If you have other resources that have been a blessing to you during this time- please reach out and let me know. Enjoy your milk this week!