When my children were between four and six months old, I began feeding them baby food. Back in the olden days of 2006, that meant rice cereal. Too little to sit up in a high chair, their bodies reclined in the bouncy seat atop the kitchen table.
Stirring the cereal and milk, I’d fill a Gerber spoon and say with all the enthusiasm I could muster, “open wide!” Once they had realized that rice cereal was a banquet compared to breastmilk, I didn’t even have to tell them. They’d open their mouths at the sight of the spoon.
They were dependent on me at that age, having no ability to feed themselves. They couldn’t hold a cheerio and certainly couldn’t crawl to the pantry.
“Open your mouth wide and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:10).
Jesus told us we needed to become like little children. From Psalm 81:10, I picture myself as the completely dependent five-month-old, relying on my Father to meet my practical needs and fill my soul.
But sometimes I’m like the mobile toddler, always looking to feed myself – many times with things that may not be food.
“Listen, My people, and I will admonish you. Israel, if you would only listen to me! There must not be a strange god among you; you must not bow down to a foreign god. I am Yahweh your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:8-10)
How do we come to rely on the sustenance only God provides?
- Listen. Twice, God says, “Listen to me!” (Can any parent with children, oh, say ages 9 and 5, relate?) God, help me listen! So many times I bend my ear to listen to so many other voices surrounding me without first listening to my God.
- Don’t bow to another. I find myself bowing my heart to the altar of another’s approval or even my own desires. If I am to get my fill from my Father, I can’t seek to be filled elsewhere.
- Remember who God is and what He has done for you. It’s so easy to forget who God is and what He has done for us. But by training our minds to think on who He is and recalling how He has been faithful, we are more able to seek only His provision.
I want to become like that little child in this regard, opening my mouth to only be fed by my loving Father who knows exactly what I need (and what I don’t).
I shared today’s Quiet Time Reflections live on Periscope this morning. I’d love you to join me on Periscope. It’s easy! For instructions, visit my Periscope page here.
To view a replay of today’s Periscope, view it below or click here.