The Little Child Within You

Today's Word of Encouragement from Wayne:

"Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord, as a boy"

1 Samuel 2:18

What a beautiful heart Samuel had, that he wanted to minister to the Lord so much. His mother Hannah, dedicated him in prayer to God and left, "and he worshiped the Lord there" (1:28). His father, Elkanah, went home to Ramah, "but the boy ministered to the Lord" (2:11). Oh may we learn now, what Samuel seemed to know even as a boy, that is, to always draw near to the presence of God and minister to Him, no matter what. Samuel was not from the tribe of Levi, of the priests; his father, Elkanah, being "an Ephramite" (1:1). Samuel "ministered to the Lord" (2:11) in the spirit of God’s word to all the nation of Israel, when He had delivered them out of Egypt and called them, saying "you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19: 6).

It took a little child, Samuel, to be simple and pure enough to, from the heart and without fear, draw near to God, seeing the sacred rituals, and to Whom all things pointed, beyond the rituals, that he might truly minister "to Me." In this day many cry out for God to touch them, and of course we pray willingly for our Lord’s touch upon all who seek Him. But let us listen closely to our God and to His expressed will. God is still calling, in this day, for all of us, all of His children, even as He called to Israel, that we will meaningfully reach out and touch Him, by stepping into His presence and accepting our role as His "royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession" (1st Peter 2:9).

Let us take our lead from Samuel here. Let us become God’s little trusting and loving children, His inner court priesthood, and let us minister to our Lord in His presence, saying "yes" with our lives to our Lord Jesus Christ Who has made us "to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father" (Revelation 1:6). May the little child within you lead you today, from your heart and without fear, into the presence and the embrace of your Abba Father’s love. Hallelujah!