Sleep

1 Samuel 3:3, It was well before dawn; the sanctuary lamp was still burning. Samuel was still in bed in the Temple of GOD, where the Chest of God rested.

As I read this chapter during my morning quiet time, a passage I had heard on occasions before, this verse hit me. I could just as easily have skimmed right over it and thought nothing of it unless I had taken the time I did to actually read it and understand it's meaning. In my Bible, it says that Samuel was asleep near the Ark. In order to truly get the full meaning out of this verse we have to remember that the Ark of the Covenant was God's throne on Earth, where His presence dwelled. It was actually the spirit of God here among us humans on Earth.

I don't know how this would sound to anyone else, but I got excited when I read this. Samuel, still a young boy, was sleeping in God's house, within God's presence. How awesome! I continually wish to be in God's will, but Samuel got to sleep in His presence. To fall asleep and be able to hear God waking you every morning must be such an amazing experience. Later in the chapter it says that Samuel grew up in the Lord and was a great prophet. I wonder how much influence Samuel's early experience with God had upon his later years, and how much the fact that Samuel lived in God's presence had to do with him being a great prophet. I guess it goes to show that the more time we spend with God (either physically or mentally) the more we live within his will.

It reminds me of our parents. As we grow up with them we begin to pick up there little nuances, their likes and dislikes, even their personalities. They have such an influence on the way we think and act that our actions sometimes directly point back to their own lives. It can be said the same way about God's influence on us. As long as we're being the stupid, rebellious children of God that comes as our default attitude, we won't pick up God's personality, likes, dislikes, or ideas. But, once we put down our foolish childish ways and pick up a more mature outlook, we begin to respect God and His hold on our lives and we pick up on His will for us. Therefore, more people can see us and say, "Oh, they are Yahweh's children...that's obvious."

So let's act like Samuel and live, eat, breath, sleep in God's presence. Let's learn about our Father who has so graciously adopted us into His eternal family. Until we begin to live in a way our Dad wants, we won't be able to point others to His gracious salvation and gain more brothers and sisters in Christ...