On Waiting Quietly and Being Vulnerable

Here I'll pick up my summary of the book First Samuel, starting back in chapter 3. A boy's mother had dedicated his life to God, though little Samuel was probably too young to understand his call and purpose. Still, his heart was ready to serve at a young age.

One night, Samuel heard a voice awakening him from his sleep and supposed that it was Eli, the high priest with whom he was living. Samuel showed submission to Eli, simply saying "Here I am"(vs. 4, 16 NIV). Eli, however, hadn't said a word to Samuel, so he wisely pointed Samuel to God, thinking it was God's voice who had spoken. When Samuel heard the voice again, he transferred his practiced submission to the Lord with innocence so powerful and the same easy words, "Here I am." When he was convinced that it was Almighty God speaking, Samuel added, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening" (vs. 9 NIV).

I long for this same submissiveness and humility in every beat of my heart. I desire the wisdom that Eli shared at the end, though it seems so common sense: "It is the LORD; let Him do what seems good to Him" (vs. 18 NASB). Like Samuel, my heart is more vulnerable when when I am sleepy. At my most exhausted moments, I write and think most uninhibitedly. I have particularly open communication with God just as my head hits the pillow at night, and especially just as my eyes breach open in the morning. Since childhood, I pray about the day before I get out of bed, even if only a breath-long prayer.

This morning, my Bible fell open onto the cafeteria table showing my yellow highlights over Lamentations 3:22-26. I was surprised, as always, at the Lord's small applications, even within the two words "Every morning" and how this passage related to my thoughts of Samuel's openness of communication with the invisible, invincible Yaweh.
"Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

May the time that my heart is open at the beginning and end of each day stretch to fill every hour.