Day 33: Psalm 131

One of the great streams of the Christian tradition that has been lost, especially in Protestant circles, is the monastic tradition.

For example, it may be common to meet someone who is a pastor, an evangelist, a Christian counselor, or worship leader, but rarely do you meet a monk. Obviously, it’s still alive, but for much of Christian tradition it was central not peripheral. Part of what has been lost with the monastic tradition is the art of “Resting in God.” This may be a phrase we believe or say, but it’s not a central practice as it was for the monastics. The phrase “Resting in God” comes from St. Gregory the Great, a sixth century monk, but you could argue it comes from Psalm 131:

Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:1-2

In some translations, that last line is “my soul is quieted within me.” For monks, this concept of rest meant that you would suspend mental and emotional activity and place yourself into God’s hands. For me, I don’t find it difficult to pray or read the Bible; but resting in God is quite difficult. For many of us, myself included, this pandemic has meant less sleep. As you prepare for bed tonight, or as you go throughout your day, seek a moment where you can suspend mental and emotional activity and rest in God. We are in a moment in time, as the Psalmist said, that it’s easy to concern ourselves with matters too great.

We need to rest our minds and bodies into the hands of the one who is greater than our concerns.

Jared