Psalm 131 Surrender as a child to the Lord
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord—now and always.”
“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.” These verses might be daunting for some people addicted to social media to handle. Past generations emphasized keeping one’s opinions private; however, now people are likely to spout off on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and any other social media they can find. Never mind whether or not the information these people are spreading is valid; the idea is to publicize as much as possible as quickly as possible. These same people are likely to assess their own value based on the number of followers they have garnered.
While following news coverage on the recent flooding in Texas, I have noticed conspiracy theory proponents blaming all sorts of groups for this flooding. But responsible meteorologists have testified that local weather authorities did warn about flash floods. The scope of these floods simply exceeded all predictions. When warnings were sent out to people’s phones, many disregarded the warnings, assuming that authorities were becoming excited for nothing. There were also those who assumed that because they had weathered previous floods without incident, they would survive this one as well. Sadly, many of those people paid with their lives for their complacency. Then there were others whose only warning came when flood waters inundated their cabins or RV’s. In the face of such overwhelming tragedy, blaming and shaming has no place. Far better to realize that matters about this flood are far greater and more awesome than we can grasp.
“Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” Ask any mother how difficult it can be to wean a child off breast feeding. Here in Ghana, breast feeding is encouraged until the age of two, although mothers begin home foods at six months. During the weaning process, there are plenty of times when mothers must turn a deaf ear to their children’s cries, knowing that these children must become independent. But in times of stress, many three-or four-year-olds instinctively reach for their mothers’ breasts for comfort, confident that those mothers will soothe and protect them.
A weaned child knows that mother remains as a source of comfort, for the mother-child bond is one that lasts a lifetime. Agatha Christie has been quoted as saying, “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in this world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” No matter a child’s age, a mother will still want to comfort them. God is the One who has given mothers this passion for their children; His passion for us is far far greater.
When we are new believers, we demand as much of God’s attention as possible. As we grow in our faith, we continue to be aware of God’s presence; however, we no longer need dramatic proofs of His Love. This does not mean that God will not do miracles for older believers but that older believers no longer require miracles to bolster their faith. The longer we walk with God, the more we see of His great provision and watch-care, so the more our faith grows.
“O Israel, put your hope in the Lord—now and always.” Nations who put their hope in the Lord will never be disappointed. The problem is that most nations trust in something else-money, power, military might. Even in America where “In God we trust” is on all the money, many people are only giving lip service to that idea.
During the recent Texas floods, some survivors admitted that when they received alerts about flooding on their phones, they disregarded the messages, assuming that authorities were over-reacting. National governments might also feel the same way about warnings to hope in God, feeling that their might, their wealth, and their power are sufficient for any challenge. But natural disasters can humble the most arrogant of men and God, the Creator of the Universe, remains unimpressed by those who think they can make it on their own.
Don’t make the same mistake those people who disregarded those flood alerts made! God wants each of us to turn to Him, repent of our sins, and follow Him for the rest of our lives. When we hope in the Lord, we are trusting the only One who can deliver us from every evil so we can be with Him in heaven. “O Israel, put your hopes in the Lord!”
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, thank You, that You are a God of hope. You have promised in Romans 15:13 that if we trust in You, you will fill us with joy and peace as we trust in You and that we will overflow with hope. Forgive our sins and help us to hope in You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment