Psalm 131

1 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
    my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
    too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
    like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child is my soul within me.

3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore.

(ESV)

Contemplation:

Contentment is all about growing.  A weaned child no longer needs it's mother's milk.  He or she is ready to eat adult food.  When we are very young, we want to be fed on demand and are restless the moment we feel the pangs of hunger within us.  We see our parents in terms of their ability to feed us and meet our needs.  Eventually we grow to find contentment in being in a relationship with them even when we are not feeding.

As God grows us, we learn to value our relationship with him beyond having our needs met.  We learn to enjoy his presence and not just his provision.   We no longer have an on demand relationship with him.  We respond to God's grace in patience and maturity.  Our lives become less disrupted by our circumstances and impulses.  We can calm and quiet ourselves before God to the point that every competing doubt, distraction, and desire is overshadowed by the joy of living in God's nurturing presence.

Question:

What ways can I calm and quiet my soul to enjoy God's presence today?

Prayer:

Abba, Father, sometimes my anxious thoughts and and impulsive actions reveal that my heart is not resting in you.  I pray that you would remind me of your presence in the midst of my busyness.  Help me to move beyond only praying for provision when I can also know your presence.  Teach me to to calm and quiet my soul that I might know the deep contentment of being nourished by your spirit.