It is interesting how much we desire to be relationally close to people but also try hard to be separated from them. (Awkwardly gives cell phone a condemning look.) We allow the busyness of life and often things that are not important to cloud our judgment of what truly is. Proximity is important. Proximity allows us to go beyond surface relationships into deep, meaningful ones. Proximity allows us to learn, listen, and, in turn, lead with the grace and the love of Christ.
1 Samuel 3 relates the story of Samuel’s calling. This follows the narrative of his mom desperately desiring a son and the spiritual situation in Israel and Eli, the high priest’s family.
1 Sam 3:1-3 “Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God.” (emphasis mine) NLT
The Ark of the Covenant was the seat of God’s physical presence. Samuel had proximity.
1 Sam 3:10 “And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” (emphasis mine) NLT
In Hebrew, this verse states, “The Lord came and stood and called…” Samuel had proximity to the presence of the Lord. This proximity served a purpose in Samuel’s life, as it does in ours. Through proximity, we learn:
To listen to the voice of God.
To submit to the will of God.
To lead others into a deeper relationship with God.
All of these exemplify Samuel’s life as he becomes the spiritual and political leader as the last judge of Israel. Even transitioning from the judges to the kings, Samuel plays a pivotal role. He anoints Saul as the first king of Israel. He later rebukes Saul for rejecting God’s direction. Shortly after that, Samuel anoints David, the man after God’s own heart. It is interesting to note that David also had proximity to God. That made him a godly man, but that is a blog for another day.
Proximity is essential to any relationship. I love my dog CAP. My wife does not love my dog but tolerates him because she loves me. Now CAP listens to me. He has learned my voice and is mostly obedient. He is very loyal and protective of me because I am the one who spends time with him, feeds him, and sneaks him food from my plate. CAP loves cooked veggies. He has learned to be near me because he is bound to get something from me.
Proximity to God is not just about what we can get from Him but is genuinely rooted in our desire to be near Him. I love the words of Paul to the Philippians, “I want to know Him.” That is the true essence of proximity. I want to know Christ. Yet, as I get to know Christ, I also learn His voice. I hear Him when He speaks, and I long to be obedient to His will in my life. That is the effect of proximity.
I encourage you to spend more time with those you love. Be present. Spend more time with God just because He is God. Learn to hear His voice and be ready to obey. If I’ve learned anything from CAP it is the fact that proximity to the Master matters.
Through Time 