The Prayer of a Weaned Child

The Prayer of a Weaned Child

Jehovah, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, Or in things too wonderful for me.  Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child with his mother, Like a weaned child is my soul within me.  O Israel, hope in Jehovah From this time forth and for evermore. A Song of Ascents.   (Psalm 131 ASV)

This is one of my favorite psalms because of its simplicity and honesty.  Too often I find myself in a proud and haughty position.  As a father to my children, I must be aware that I'm constantly learning along with them.  As a pastor, I need to remind myself of the servant part of servant-leadership.  As a theologian, I have to constantly recall my own lowliness before the God whom I have the audacity to presume to understand.  This psalm puts a check on my pride and haughtiness, reminding me of my true position before God.

One of the things that bothered Jesus the most as he watched hypocrites pray was the way they would exalt themselves in prayer. In Matthew 6:5-8 (ISV), He said, "And whenever you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. I tell all of you  with certainty, they have their full reward!  But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees from the hidden place will reward you.  When you are praying, don’t say meaningless things  like the gentiles do, because they think they will be heard by being so wordy.  Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Jesus understood the value of praying differently from the way the rest of the world prays.  Privately rather than pridefully--that was His motto.  If your prayers are going to be intimate then you shouldn't broadcast them to the world.  And you definitely should keep yourself in proper perspective.  In Luke 18:10-14 (ISV) Jesus tells a story about two different kinds of prayers and pray-ers.  “Two men went up to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘O God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector.   I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of my entire income.’  But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven. Instead, he continued to beat his chest and said, ‘O God, be merciful to me, the sinner that I am!’   I tell you, this man, rather than the other one, went down to his home justified, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Psalm 131 demonstrates the kind of perspective that Jesus was talking about.  No pride.  No haughtiness.  Not trying to figure out theological puzzles or life conundrums that are too great or lofty, because such such arrogance displeases God.  Instead, the psalmist says that his prayer is altogether different.  What does he do when he goes into his private prayer room?  He stills and quiets his soul, like a weaned child with its mother.  That's it.  Silence and rest.  Perfect contentment in God's presence.  What could be more beautiful than that?

I remember when my children were nursing infants, how they cried after their mother when they were hungry.  One of my children in particular constantly wanted to nurse,  always groping to find a breast and the nourishment it provided.  One day, in despair, my wife said, "You don't want me--you just want Milk Factory".  And she was right.  That's exactly what the baby wanted.  How often we are like that baby, when we go to God in prayer.  We don't really want God.  We are only interested in the blessings we can get from Him.

Instead of ceaselessly grasping after God, the psalmist says he rests himself in the Lord.  Like a weaned child who finally appreciates his mother for who she is and is able to lay his head on her breast without asking for milk, the praying person should be able to rest in God without asking for anything.  "I have stilled and quieted my soul," says the psalmist.  To do this, just relax, understanding that God will feed you when it's time.  As you pray, try not to use words at all, for this is grasping after what you want.  Close your eyes with a contented smile, as a three-year-old would do as she places her head on her mother's breast.  Just be with God.  That is the prayer of a weaned child.