Peter gives us a strong exhortation to how we should desire and crave God’s Word. A follower of Christ who wants to know Him greater and love Him more is marked by a love for His Word. Here, Peter directs us on how to cultivate a hunger for God’s Word. 

Remember (v. 1)

The first word in the first verse of this chapter transitions us and reminds us of the why. The word “so” is a bridge back to what was just said. Look to verse 23 of chapter 1, “since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.” You and I have come to know who Christ is and what He did for us through the power of His word, and we must never forget that power in our lives. 

Put Away (v. 1)

You and I are never going to have a focused desire for God’s truth in his Word without stopping our desiring for other things. We must lay these aside, rejecting them and putting them away. We must confess and repent of these actions early and often if we are to allow our desires to change. 

Admit Your Need (v. 2)

Nothing is worse than when somebody thinks they’ve arrived at a point where they don’t need anymore. No matter how much we think we know, the more we truly know, the more we realize we don’t know about the depth, the width, and the height and length of God’s love for us. We have a desperate need for the Word working through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Desire Growth (v. 2)

In admitting our need, we are saying we know we need to grow. We realize that we are not where we ought to be. We need the Word to grow us up and make us strong. We need the Word to make us effective and fruitful believers. We need the Word to help us deal with the issues of life. As we grow in our desire for His Word, we grow in our love for Jesus. 

Remember Again (v. 3)

We know His goodness. We’ve known His kindness. We’ve seen His working in our lives. We’ve seen Him bring joy into our sorrow. We’ve experienced His mercies being new every morning. As we remember the times we’ve tasted and seen that the Lord is good, it reminds us of the importance of knowing Him deeper and greater. 

May our cravings for His Word grow as we remember the source of our salvation, put away our sinful ways, admit our need that will drive us to growth, and ultimately remind ourselves of His goodness again and again.