Obedience

…to obey is better than sacrifice, 1 Sam. 15:22

I think we all understand, what it means to obey. I did find a definition for Biblical obedience that I would like to use:

Biblical Obedience is a willing and active submission to God's authority, stemming from love and trust, and manifested through actions, words, and thoughts that align with His will

Have you ever known someone in your life that would rather do something different than what they were told? I have had employees that would go out of their way to perform an act, that was so much harder to perform, than the original directions that were given. In other words, it would have been much easier, to do what they were told. The most frustrating part would be, is that after addressing the issue, even if they understood that they were wrong, still failed to accept the fact that, they were in the wrong.

Does this sound familiar to any parents out there? As a parent, it sure does to me. Let’s take a look, at one of the Bible’s most interesting examples of obedience or in Saul’s case, disobedience. I will be using a lot of scripture today, but it’s all found in the book of 1 Samuel 15.

Saul had been anointed the first king of Israel. A man that started off great, in the beginning, but we see things starting to change very quickly as his reign went on. The prophet Samuel was Gods voice of the day, and he was loved and respected by many. God uses Samuel to give King Saul a task to perform in 1 Samuel 15:3.

Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’  1 Sam. 15:3

The commandment was very simple and to the point. Yet, read what Saul actually done.

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed. 1 Sam 15:9

When I read this story, what I have found to be so frustrating, is that it’s like dealing with a child. Saul not only disobeys Gods directions but lies about the entire incident!

Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.  1 Sam. 15:13

Samuel then addresses this issue with Saul and calls him out for his sin, and like we all have done in times past, Saul blames someone else. Notice that Saul blamed the people for his sins. The “people” he blamed it on was just following the king’s directions. Have you ever had a supervisor that would make decisions and if the action turned out to be a good thing, they took credit for it. If it turned out for the bad, they blamed it on someone else? Sounding familiar now?

And Saul said, they have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed 1 Sam. 15:15

Saul, still trying to justify his actions pulls the religious card and says that “they” done it “to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God.” If we are honest with ourselves, this story is way too familiar! We hear what the voice of the Lord is telling us to do and like Jonah, we pick another path. Sometimes, it can be something that’s even harder to complete than what was asked of us. For example, instead of giving an individual a certain amount of money, we give more in the offering, not wanting to deal with people. When the Holy Spirit directs us to share Christ with someone, we instead take someone out for lunch. We have all been guilty of this, but listen to what the Lord spoke through Samuel to Saul and to us.

So, Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 1 Sam 15:22

The Bible says that “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. Isaiah 55:8. This scripture does not leave room, for our opinions or to add options. Samuel goes on to say that “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.” 1 Sam.15:23

Being obedient to God is a choice we have, but not one that comes without consequences. King Saul lost his kingship and his anointing due to disobedience. The scriptures even call it rebellion and witchcraft, that’s very serious. Ask God today to open your eyes and ears to see and hear plainly, His directions for your life. Then, go and do.

<Smile God loves you>