Daily devotional, November 7, 2023 Weaning a child

"But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother;like a weaned child I am content." Psalm 131:2

Somebody once said that weaning a child from either the breast or the bottle, could be one of the first real struggles and permanent adjustments we humans had to go through. Of course separating from one’s mother whenever she goes to work is not a permanent adjustment as she will come home later in the day, but weaning? It is permanent, and it can be very challenging for both the child and his mom. 

But as in any developmental milestone, weaning is a rite of passage that teaches little humans to be independent, explore other forms of nutrition, and see their mother in a different light apart from being a main source of sustenance.
In Psalm 131, King David painted a picture of a contented child that no longer seeks his mother for sustenance, but rather for the comfort of her presence:

"But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content." (Psalm 131:2)

We too, could follow the warrior-king’s example of being content with the Lord’s presence, and not seeking Him because of all that He can give and reward us. In Psalm 131:1 he says: “My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.”

As humans, we sometimes make the mistake of seeking the Lord to receive His blessings. And while the Lord will indeed bless us and will not change His mind about prospering the lives of those who love Him, we must realize that the Lord’s presence in our lives is the greatest gift we Christians could ever receive. Psalm 16:11 aptly encompasses this: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Once you have developed a strong relationship with God and have been accustomed to His presence in your life, you will notice a difference when He is not in your midst. He is still in your midst even when you have problems; but you depart from His presence when you sin or disobey Him. Yes life is not perfect, and the Lord did not promise a life without troubles (John 16:33), but when you live in the Lord’s presence, there is a calming and inexplicable peace within you that cannot be shaken off by worldly cares. John 14:27 quotes our Savior Jesus Christ promising to His disciples exactly that: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Yes, it is like the peace of a contented child who have learned that his mother remains present even if he could no longer nurse from her and get the gift of nourishment. It is the peace of giving up worldly pursuits to center one’s life to the will of the King who gives us real peace and real contentment.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites refused to go through with their journey in the wilderness when God said He will no longer go with them. “When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments,” (Exodus 33:4). Without the Lord in our midst, we will find our lives meaningless, and the Israelites were well aware of this because they knew how it is to go through in their journey with the presence of God.

One of the ways to enjoy his comfort and presence is to intentionally spend time before the Lord. Quiet time can mean praying in your own room every morning, being alone in the garden of your home and praying there, or being in a quiet place in your office to talk to God, or even being before the blessed sacrament or chapel if there is one near your home or place of work. The idea is to continuously and regularly commune with God and take comfort in talking to Him about anything and everything. Jesus actually taught us how to do this: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you,” (Matthew 6:6).

Of course you should also give time to listen to Him and this is by reading His word daily, reflecting on it, and applying it in your daily life. Weekly bible study with fellow believers, and going to church every Sunday to worship the Lord is also essential to living in His presence. Like a weaned child, we can remain dependent on God not because of His promises and gifts, but because we cannot bear to live our lives apart from Him.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 131 and Matthew 6:5-15 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Are you living in God’s presence? Do you seek Him for His gifts or for the comfort and peace of being in His midst?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, thank you for givng me the opportunity to seek you everyday. I want to stay in your presence not only because of every blessing you can reward me with, but because of the comfort and peace of having you in the center of my life.