Purpose Management: The Posture of the Ascent
After giving the Sunday morning message at a local church dear to me nearly two years ago, I was told my sermon lacked a proper introduction. No background, no context. Just bam! The Word. Well, as I considered sharing this blog (it was my personal devotion first for several days), I remembered the constructive criticism, and today, I will adhere.
Psalm 131 (KJV)
A song of degrees of David.
1 Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.
2 Surely, I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
3 Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and forever.
This is a psalm of David. It is called a psalm of degrees or psalm of ascent (the psalms of degrees are 120-134). These psalms of degrees were sung at the beginning of worship services at the temple and by those who traveled up to Jerusalem. Of the five books or divisions of the psalms, Psalm 131 is part of the fifth book, Psalms 107-150.
What I want you to consider is that in Psalm 131 David was becoming king (cross-reference 2 Samuel 5:1-5 and 1 Chronicles 11:1-3), on his way to the throne. In a humble prayer he presents himself to the Lord.
Verse 1 (paraphrase based on word study) – Lord, my mind is not puffed up and my eyes are not proud; I’m not entangling myself in matters beyond my grasp. This is the David we don’t talk about, the man who becomes king. He’s no longer choosing from five smooth stones; Goliath is dead. Saul is a memory, and the effects of the Saul experience are healed. He’s done running and now he’s king. Instead of recalling what he’s survived, what he says to the Lord is, “I learned the lesson.”
Verse 2 (paraphrase based on word study) – I’ve stopped fretting. My soul is at peace within me, like a child weaned from his mother. David compared himself to a child weaned from his mother’s breast. He reached a place of peace at his ascension… Not a parent yet, I conducted a few interviews and did some research about the weaning process. I asked one question to those I interviewed: what is a child like once he’s weaned? The answers were enlightening.
“It depends. Some children are content, and know they will be fed, even if not on breast milk anymore. Some get frustrated and demanding because they are not sure of the next meal–whether it is coming and how often…Weaning is a change, a habit being broken. Some children are okay, and other require a replacement like a security blanket. Then, there are those who are secure in their parents’ love; they are usually content and do not need a replacement.”
Now, what does this have to do with managing the unlimited God-given reserve (purpose) in us?
On the Path to Reigning, we continually encourage ourselves to push through difficulty, forgive, heal old or open wounds (sustained on the journey), stay focused and much more. We do this while learning much through relationships and circumstances, and try not to fixate on “the process” so we can decipher the point of purpose in what we experience. When we study the process too long, we can get tied up in things over our heads, creating a way the Lord did not make because we are desperate to move on to the next thing or we want the pressure to lift, etc.
Each change of routine or habit is a sort of weaning. The marvelous benefit we KNOW we have is that the Almighty God is our Father. And like a child, if we trust His love, we can stay on the Path without thinking we need a replacement. We can move past the “where-when-how” mindset. We can decide to let go of the frustration and the “demands” (consider prayer and petition here). We can trust His love and know the “next meal” is coming.
Today I want you to take a deep breath, and remind yourself of one thing. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL CORONATION DAY TO QUIET YOUR SOUL (BE WEANED) AND BE AT PEACE. You (and I) can assume the posture of ascent–simplifying our lives, looking to the Lord and at the same time lowering our gaze from things that are out of scope right now, settling and quieting our souls, offering humility and an honest assessment before God, yielding to the change (weaning) so we can welcome the necessary growth, promotion, etc.
Let’s keep walking. Let’s remain free of entanglements. Let’s get understanding before we mount the throne. Selah, and love to all.
2 Comments on “Purpose Management: The Posture of the Ascent”
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The Bereans' Commentary with Shaunta D. Scroggins, Ed.D. 
This is an extremely profound explanation of the changes I’m experiencing as I grow in Christ. I’m moving into new levels of blessings and simultaneously experiencing the pains of the change. Love this!
This was a beautiful expose’ of David and the book of Psalms. I love blessed quietness and that is what I am walking in this season of my life.
Thank you..