## Living Maturely

## Psalms 131

For the past several weeks we have been studying the topic of "Spiritual Maturity." We have defined it, discussed the hindrances to achieving it, and considered several steps toward it. This evening we want to close out our study by looking at one of David’s Psalms in which he relates the transition from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity.

NOTE: Ps. 131

For us to continue to grow toward spiritual maturity there must be a transition in the diet from milk to meat. The milk of the Word is needed for those who are babes in Christ.

l. I Co. 3:l-2 "as unto babes in Christ"

2. Heb. 5:12-14 "for he is a babe"

3. I Pe. 2:2 "as newborn babes"

However, just as in the physical realm, there must be a time of weaning. It is this weaning that David is speaking of in Ps. l3l.

In this short Psalm David depicts the nature of a minor crisis in his life which took him from the stage of his spiritual infancy to the beginning of maturity. Although David does not specify the nature of the crisis, he does show us that one of the major results of his development is his contentment with the provision which God has made for him. Notice three things:

I. It is spiritual rather than natural.

A. David had to learn a new kind of contentment.

1. One not based on his environment but based upon God and wholly dependent on His provision.

2. The pathway to maturity is not an easy one, nor always a pleasant one.

3. One of the things it does is to wean us away from what naturally contents us to what will give us truly contented and satisfied trust in God.

B. True contentment, which goes with true maturity has to be learned. NOTE: Ph. 4:11, "...I have learned...to be content."

II. It is inward rather than outward.

A. Contentment with God’s ways, which manifests itself in maturity, is independ- ent of outward circumstances.

B. Our natural tendency is to imagine that we would really be content if only certain circumstances were available to us.

1. A different job...

2. Less problems to deal with...

3. More money available to us...

C. But in fact true contentment comes from within not from without.

D. What is the secret of being content in any and every situation?

1. It is the same as the difference between a child striving furiously during the weaning process, and the same child gently cuddling into its mother.

2. NOTE: Ps. 131 is written against a different background of child rearing than what we are familiar with.

3. We wean infants, but these Jews weaned children - sometimes as old as four and five!

4. It is one thing to wean an infant peaceably and quite another thing to wean a child whose character is already well on the way to formation.

5. At that age it was often a real battle between the purposes of the parents and the self-will of the child.

E. The key to contentment is a recognition of the wisdom of the provision which is made, and a bowing to the will which makes it.

F. Every child of God needs to learn that all things come to us from the hand of a Father who knows what we need before we ask Him, and whose supply is as appropriate to us as the wisdom which has planned the best way for us.

G. For us to grow to maturity and experience true contentment recognize God’s wisdom in provision and bow to His will.

III. It is tested by loss.

A. So long as the child receives the diet with which it is familiar, it rests content - at least at the level of infancy.

B. The diet of milk is doing the baby good, and it satisfies - but it does not satisfy the mother.

C. So in order for the baby to grow, the mother must withdraw the milk and this is the moment of crisis.

D. By the same token many Christians discover that it is in the loss of what is important or familiar to them that the real test of contentment and maturity comes.

E. When we suffer loss, pain is inevitable; but it is not beyond the power of the grace of God to use that sense of loss in order to bring us to a new contentment with his love, and a new stability and maturity in serving Him.

IV. The question remains, how do we live maturely? David tells us in Ps. 131:1.

A. He guarded the ambitions of his heart.

1. There is nothing wrong with ambitions, but our ambitions should be consistent with God’s will for us.

2. There is no doubt that David’s ambition was to be king of Israel.

3. Twice he had the temptation and opportunity to kill Saul and take the throne but he didn’t.

a. 1Sa. 24: 3-6 (while in the cave)

b. 1Sa. 26: 7-11 (while in Saul’s camp)

4. David’s ambition to be king was held in place by a greater ambition, which was to yield his life in obedience to God, whatever the circumstances.

5. When later in life David allowed other ambitions to replace this ambition he ceased to be the man he once was.

B. He controlled the preoccupation’s of his mind.

1. He was attracted by the throne, but so long as God had placed it in the possession of another he refused to let his mind be preoccupied with it.

2. Unfortunately, in later life, his resolve weakened and he coveted another man’s wife.

C. Not only did he refuse to be preoccupied with things he could not possess; he also refused to be preoccupied with things beyond his understanding.

1. In all likelihood, Ps. 131 reflects a period of David’s life when - though chosen, anointed, and destined to be king - he found himself hunted like a criminal and forced to company with the outcasts of his society.

2. He might understandably have questioned his calling and doubted the wisdom or love of God.

3. He certainly would have found it difficult, if not altogether impossible, to understand God’s ways with him.

4. David left what was beyond his understanding in the hands of the understanding God - this was truly a mark of spiritual maturity.

Isaiah 50:10-11, "Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow."

There is no easy way to maturity; there are no shortcuts. David urges his readers to "put their hope in the Lord from henceforth and forever." Lay aside your ambitions, lay aside your own hopes. Lay aside your wisdom. Lay aside your own self-assurance. Make God and His will your ambition. Make God your hope and your only wisdom.

And shall I pray thee change thy will, my Father? Until it be according unto mine? But, no, Lord, no, that never shall be, rather I pray thee blend my human will with thine.

I pray thee hush the hurrying, eager longing, I pray thee soothe the pangs of keen desire See in my quiet places wishes thronging, Forbid them, Lord, purge, though it be with fire.

And work in me to will and do thy pleasure, Let all within me, peaceful, reconciled, Tarry content my Wellbeloved’s leisure, At last, at last, even as a weaned child. Amy Carmichael