Samuel was conceived and born during the time when Eli’s sons, Eli the priest, decided to have sex with the women who were serving at the temple. They were sleeping around and they “were treating the LORD’s offering with contempt.” (1 Samuel 2:17).

Pre-marital sex (sex before marriage) was something Samuel used to see everywhere. Being a virgin was a story of the old times. For the ministers of the temple, the house of the LORD was a place to “fatten” their fleshly desires, including their sexual fantasies. Where? In the temple of God!

“But Samuel was ministering before the LORD – a boy wearing a linen ephod.” 1 Samuel 2:18

Wow! What a contrast! Others were “chilling around” having sex everywhere, with anyone they wanted to but Samuel was ministering “before” God – means Samuel’s only audience was God Himself!

While all those sexual immorality in the temple of God were going on, Samuel turned to be a teenager, the age all sexual hormones are activated in a young man’s brain. What did he do with all those sexual desires? Was he dead sexually at that time? How come he didn’t get tempted to sleep with one of those girls who were willing to sleep with Eli’s sons?

Here is the answer:

“Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.” 1 Samuel 2:21

Samuel couldn’t even contemplate to sin against God because his soul was filled by the presence of God. Sinning against God was the unthinkable thing for him. I strongly believe he had some sexual temptations and struggles since the “MTV program” was aired before his eyes, in the temple of God where he used to live 24/7.

The Bible says:

“And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with men.” 1 Samuel 2:26

Here is the message for today then: Sexual immorality infests our life the moment we choose to drift away from God because only God’s Spirit can put our sexual desires under control! We can’t lead a sexually pure life unless we choose to stay in God’s presence. Why?

Because sexual immorality such as pre-marital sex, porn and masturbation addiction, phone sex and all are nothing but a replacement of God our soul brings to itself when it is forced to live without God.

For you and I, the only safe place to be is in God’s presence; at His feet, feasting at His Word, having close fellowship with other true believers. Outside that, we will be trapped in different sexual addictions we find hard to come out from. ///