I wonder how many people have the mindset that a good relationship with God should be easy:
He is Love.
He doesn’t judge us harshly for our shortcomings and sins.
He calls us “Beloved.”
He even calls us His children. But, just like earthly children, He expects us to grow and learn and become who we were meant to be.
Did you have a good relationship with your earthly father? It seems most of us didn’t. And because of that lack, we have trouble allowing God to be our Heavenly Father.
Our loving Papa. Daddy. Abba.
I can just see Him when we throw a tantrum. He folds His arms, leans against the wall, and keeps an eye out so we don’t hurt ourselves. And then when we finish—whether from sheer physical exhaustion or simple surrender—He reaches out and asks us, “Are you done yet? I’d like to talk.”
What do we do then? Do we quiet our souls as in Psalm 131?
O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
O Israel, hope in the LORD
From this time forth and forever. (Italics mine) (NASB)
In the time of David, as in most modern non-industrial societies, a child was weaned at about age three. That’s also when the personality is developing as the child differentiates himself from his mother. He learns that he is a different person instead of being an extension of Mom, even though he still needs her.
If our soul is like a weaned child, we are reaching a maturity level that seeks God in relationship. We have outgrown infancy with its “me, me, me” focus. We also recognize our dependence on God for protection, provision, and identity.
This is the time of life when children see the world around them with wonder, they learn easily and continually, and they learn to trust the adults around them.
If our soul is like that weaned child, we can look through God’s eyes and see with appreciative wonder. We can learn easily and continually through His revelation (rhema), and we can learn to trust Him.
We just have to cooperate with Him.
We have to relax in Him, as in Psalm 37:4 (delight can be translated relax or luxuriate).
We have to listen to His words to us.
And we have to submit to being like a weaned child instead of a stubborn, independent, prideful adult.
this is part 4 of a series on having a good relationship with God.
Part 1|How’s Your Relationship with God?
Part 2| Religion or Relationship?
Part 3| How Can I Improve my Relationship with God?
Part 4| Is Your Soul Like a Weaned Child?
Part 5| Is God Your Daddy?
all illustrations courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net