Here I Am

Today's Word of Encouragement from Wayne:

"Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. The lamp of the Lord had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, that the Lord called Samuel; and he said, ‘here I am’"

1 Samuel 3: 1, 3-4

Samuel bonded with God through ministering to the Lord. He even preferred to sleep in the temple, to be near the ark, to be as close to the Lord as possible. Little Samuel felt safe with the Lord. He was at rest, in fact, when God called Him. This reminds me directly of the account in the book of Acts, of Paul and the elders of the church at Antioch, which says, "while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul’" (Acts 13:2).

God speaks and, importantly, people are able to hear what God speaks, when we minister to the Lord. We draw near to God to minister to Him, as His kingdom of priests and, in His presence, being singularly devoted to Him, the Lord speaks. "Set apart for Me." Hallelujah, this is our blessed reality in being a minister to the Lord; we joyfully embrace that we are "set apart for" our God.

When we are set apart for God and minister to the Lord, He is able to speak to us and direct our lives, according to His divine purpose, through His Holy Spirit and His holy word. Ministering to the Lord in God’s presence always acts as a purifier for us because, in ministering to the Lord, all else is put aside that we may truly be "set apart for Me." Beloved child of God, I encourage you to bond with your Lord today as you minister to Him in His presence. Rest in your Lord and be at peace in His presence so that, when he calls, you will be quick to say, just like Samuel, "here I am." Thank Your Jesus! Hallelujah!