OBEDIENCE OVER SACRIFICE

Obedience is not always fun. It often takes laying down “your rights” and trusting the unknown. But the Bible shows us time and time again that the Lord requires obedience in order to please Him. He doesn’t say pray about, consult with others or ask Google. When God tells you to do something, you obey no matter how foolish it looks. This is a faith that pleases Him.

Saul is a good example of the need to obey God’s instructions, above all. God anointed Saul king. Then with favor gave His enemies into His hand. His only instruction was that he was to destroy all. To not spare a thing. Yet, after His great victory, he kept the best of the sheep, calves and all the plunder. He says to Himself, “I will keep the best to sacrifice to the Lord.” Then the Lord says to Samuel,

I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions. I will remove Him from His throne.” -1 Samuel 15:10

Then the spirit of the Lord left Saul and he was without peace for the remaining of His life. He was jealous of David because the spirit of the Lord was on Him in His place. With unrest, His mission was to hunt David down without ceasing, the remaining of His life.

You see, obedience is our expression of our love for God. We justify our ways are better when we choose sacrifice over obedience. No matter how good the sacrifice might seem, he requires that we trust and obey Him and not our own ways.

Let us live an obedient life. One that leads to peace, favor and protection. One that truly pleases our father who is perfect in all of His ways.