Every mother is different, but I remember the relief that came over my wife, Liz, when each of our children moved into the “weaned” stage. This was the point when each of the kids didn’t need her body for sustenance anymore, but just for her loving presence with them. 
That is the moment that David is alluding to here in Psalm 131. He says that his soul is a “gamool,” a weaned one still with its mother but not requiring anything of that mother other than her presence.
This is one of the “Psalms of Ascents,” the Psalms that were sung on the way to Jerusalem for the high holidays. The idea here is that when the pilgrim reaches Jerusalem, he will be able to just be present with God in that place, not worrying about the journey any longer.
On this side of the Resurrection, we are not “gamools” yet. We are not weaned. We daily need the good nutrients of God’s Word and Sacrament delivered to us for the forgiveness of our sins. We still have some journey left in us before we reach Jerusalem. But when we do reach the gates of the New Jerusalem, we are assured that our hope will be realized and that we will be “gamools” who are quieted and calmed by the presence of our God who has prepared a place for us there.
This newsletter devotion originally written for the Florida Georgia District Advent devotions. To view more devotions written by District leaders and/or to sign up to receive FLGA District emails, please visit https://flgadistrict.org/adventdevos/ .