On August 29, 2013, the Lord used our one year old grandson, Micah, to help me understand a Scripture that had always puzzled me!
My husband and I were babysitting so our daughter and son-in-law could have a date. When it was time to put Micah to bed, I gave him his bottle, read to him, and then put him to bed when he was not quite asleep. That used to work fine, but this time he stared to cry and, because it was a warm evening, I didn’t want him to work up a heat, so I picked him up and rocked him until he fell asleep (which didn’t take too long). Now that he is so active when he’s awake, I was thoroughly enjoying this snuggle time!
When our daughter and her husband returned, and I told them about the bedtime routine, she said she has noticed that he is more snugly since she has started to wean him. She said other mothers have also noticed that weaned children seem to go through a snugly phase.
The next morning during my Bible time, the Scripture that had always puzzled me came to mind and I finally understood it!
Psalm 131:2 But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Previously, I had wondered why it hadn’t used the analogy of a nursing child because I pictured a weaned child being like Micah is during the day: independent and active! But now it made sense!
A nursing child is necessarily dependent upon its mother, whereas a weaned child chooses to rest in its mother’s arms. I suspect that a nursing child already feels a very secure bond, but as they venture out and become more independent, they still want the security of that closeness.
The Lord loves to snuggle us, so to speak, and it blesses both Him and us when we choose to lay aside our independence and rest in Him. There is peace and joy when “I have stilled and quieted my soul,” resting in the Lord’s loving arms.
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Such a great msg!
I’ll never read this verse the same.
Thank you for your insight.