Exposition
According to the passage, Samuel ministered in the presence of the Lord, meaning he remained in the presence of the Lord. In 1 Samuel 2:21, we read that the boy Samuel grew up in God’s presence. Now, that’s significant because where you grow determines the kind of person you become and your level of spirituality. If you grow among diplomats, you will become one of them. If you grow in the slums, it will inform how you behave. For your character and spirituality is defined and informed by where we grow up. Samuel found the right atmosphere to grow: THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
For the presence of God is where divinity embraces humanity. It is where the streams of Sovereignty waters the heart of humanity. To grow in God’s presence is to wear God like a sweet-smelling perfume. Samuel distinguished himself because his growth was engendered in the presence of the Almighty God. As a carrier of Christ, you grow spiritually in His presence by your consistent devotion to His word, meditation, prayer and surrounding yourself with Christ centered resources. The more you do these things, the more you know God and grow in Him, thereby sustaining your spirituality.
The greater one desires to know and grow in His presence, the deeper and more extensive one’s knowledge about Him, which will eventually lead to an increase in his or her love for Him. Samuel remained and grew in His presence. In Genesis 5:24, “And Enoch walked with God; and was not, for God took him” (KNJV), Enoch was also a man that practiced the presence of God. The Bible does not give a detailed account of his life. All we know about him is that “He walked with God” and he did that for 300 years. Wow! That is faithfulness.
What does it mean to practice the presence of God? It means you are constantly talking to your heavenly Father about issues. It means engaging God about situations as they come up. It means praying any time, everywhere. Be glued to your Bible and pray consistently. Appear before Him every day and He will also draw near to you.