To Grow In His Presence.

-Meditation-

1 Samuel 2:21

²¹ And the LORD was gracious to Hannah; she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.

--TheSecretPlace--

I love this!!! Jesus is so so good to His people! Sometimes we don't realize this but sometimes we go through really tough, and rough, and 'barren' seasons, and what we find at the end of the barren road is a beautiful garden bearing fruit that is most delightful, and I am not saying that this is the same for everyone all the time, but little did Hannah know that this was exactly what came upon her. Hannah cried out literally to the LORD, and He blessed her with Samuel, whom she blessed the LORD back with, and as she was faithful with what she was given she was given more!! And that is one truth that is true for every person. The word says that if you are faithful with little you will be given much in this age, and in the age to come, and that is also true in a lot of circumstances in life. The LORD saw her in her weakness, and in her faithfulness, and blessed her with more children. In the meanwhile Samuel ministered to the LORD, and grew up in the presence of the LORD, and that is also a huge blessing! To be before the LORD, and even though it is hard sometimes, Samuel was blessed to experience the joy of pressing on in the place of prayer, and in the place of serving the LORD.

What this really reminds me of right now is how the LORD puts people in our lives, and He blesses us with many blessings, but even through all of those blessings and people, He wants us to grow in His presence. He wants us to continually have our minds, and hearts put on Him. He wants us to walk with Him, and be with Him, and this is truly such a blessing, and really it doesn't even matter what blessings we have on this earth, and the friends He has given us are all great, but nothing compares to knowing, and growing in the LORD, and walking with Him in His presence. This is truly our highest calling. To know God, and to get to the place where it is you and Him alone. That is the place where we grow, and find Him, and also it is where we find ourselves.

So therefore, I want to directly encourage you right now in the LORD to keep the first things first, and the last things last. I want to encourage you to yes receive the blessings the LORD has for you, but sow into the eternal blessing He is offering to you at all times! Get to the secret place, and get into His heart. The amazing thing about the LORD is that He just wants your whole heart, and for you to give your whole heart may look different than how I give my whole heart, or how someone you know may give your heart, so in that I also want to encourage you to ask the LORD what it would look like for you to give your whole heart to the LORD.

Be blessed in that. The LORD wants to bless you in that!!

---Intercession---

Father, thank You so much for the way you are moving! Thank You LORD for being so faithful to us, and revealing Your heart to us LORD. We are unworthy of Your love, but You gladly pour it out on us, thank You Jesus!! Thank You for the way You love us, and for helping us to love You, and grow in You, and know You. Thank You for helping us to pursue you with all that we are, and I just pray that You would help us to do what it takes to love You whole heartedly. I love You LORD. Thank You Jesus!!! Thank You so much Lord. In Your Name. Amen