Hi friend and welcome to Our Daily Bread. I'm Sheridan Voizzi and I've titled today's devotional

Milk Comes First.

In the 7th century, what is now called the United Kingdom was many kingdoms often at war.

When one king, Oswald of Northumbria, became a believer in Jesus, he called for a missionary

to bring the gospel to his region.

A man named Corman was sent, but things didn't go well.

Finding the English stubborn, barbarous and uninterested in his preaching, he returned home frustrated.

I am of the opinion, a monk named Aidan, told Corman, that you were more severe to your unlearned hearers than you ought to have been.

Instead of giving the Norsumbrians the milk of more easy doctrine,

Corman had given them teaching they couldn't yet grasp.

Aidan went to Northumbria, adapted his preaching to the people's understanding,

and thousands became believers in Jesus.

Aidan got this sensitive approach to mission from Scripture.

I gave you milk, not solid food, Paul told the Corinthians,

for you were not yet ready for it. Before right living can be expected from people, Hebrews says,

basic teaching about Jesus, repentance and baptism must be grasped. While maturity should follow,

let's not miss the order. Milk comes before meat.

People can't obey teaching they don't understand. The faith of the Northumbrians ultimately spread to the rest of the country and beyond. Like Aden, when sharing the gospel with others, we meet people where they are.

Today's scripture reading is from Hebrews chapter 5 verse 11 to chapter 6 verse 2.

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.

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