A Calm and Quiet Soul


     I was reading from the Psalms this morning and came to the 131st.  It’s only 3 verses long, but I immediately sensed that I should put a few thoughts down in print about them.  Since it’s so short; let me quote it:


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.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul.
Like a weaned child with its mother,
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Oh Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. (ESV)

     Just reading along; I wondered how many times I have waited for “things to calm down.”  I find it interesting (and encouraging) that I can calm and quiet my own soul.  I don’t have to wait for external things to settle down.  If I'm honest; I'm usually "occupying myself" with things that I really can't control anyway; "things too great for me."
     That doesn’t give us another reason to beat ourselves up because of something we should be doing, but aren’t.  It gives us another reason to have hope and confidence.  Just because things are stressful and apparently out of control, doesn’t mean we can’t have a calm our soul.
     The picture of a “weaned child” is full of meaning.  The child doesn’t come to its mother to receive anything (including nourishment) in this picture.  The child comes simply to enjoy the comfort and presence of the mother.
     The Psalmist then helps us connect the dots.  When we quiet our soul; we find that we are able to simply enjoy the presence of the Lord.  Our hope is then reinvigorated and we have the strength and courage to return to the circumstances of our life.  The challenge is to hope starting right now (from this time) and permanently.
     Maybe today we need to come and snuggle closely to our Heavenly Father and enjoy his peace.  A calm, quiet soul will be the result and a hopeful courage to continue on the path will be the extended benefit.

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