My heart is not proud, O Lord. . . I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. . . . Put your hope in the Lordboth now and forevermore.  (Psalm 131:1–3, NIV)

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If you have observed a baby nursing at a mother’s breast, you have witnessed how it reflects a picture of total contentment in what the mother can provide. The baby is completely dependent and peacefully draws forth strength and sustenance from the mother.

Picture Mary that Christmas night. She just delivered the promised Messiah . . . a tiny baby totally dependent on her as He enters the world and takes His first breaths. Joseph stands nearby comforting Mary. The baby Jesus rests quietly.

Often, Hebrew children were not weaned until they were three years old. If so, Jesus would have developed a close and intimate relationship with Mary, the one who offered Him a place of rest and peace.

This is the same type of relationship that God offers to each of us, His children. We are not to be prideful and independent but develop a humble dependence on Christ who alone can satisfy our souls. A weaned child has experienced a closeness and intimacy with his or her mother. Unlike earthly children who eventually no longer need their mother’s milk, we are to continue to live in daily dependence on the spiritual food that God provides each day.

When we learn to draw close to God and rest in His constant provision, we can experience the peace that comes from placing our hope and dependence in Him. As you celebrate Jesus’s birth with family and friends, let Christmas remind you to live each day with a childlike faith of utter dependence and trust in God. He alone can provide all that you need, and He wants to give you peace.