Did you know that the phrase, “Obedience is better than sacrifice”, actually means something entirely different from what we were told when we were kids?
Growing up, whenever people mentioned that phrase, they usually said it as a way to scare you into obeying certain rules so you won’t suffer the consequences of disobedience. Doing the right thing from the start rather than facing the wrath for doing the wrong thing later.
A biblical phrase taken out of context, with good intentions though….. I guess.
In 1 Samuel 15, Israel is going to war with their longtime enemies, the Amalekites. One of the first nations to oppose Israel when they came out of Egypt. God specifically instructs them to destroy EVERYTHING in the Amalekite nation- men, women, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels and donkeys. Every living thing in that land was to be killed.
Not only did Saul decide not to kill Agag, the king of the Amalekites, but he and his army also kept the ‘best’ of the animals for themselves. The Bible said they destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality to them.
God expresses His disappointment to Samuel, who decides to visit Saul. Saul sees nothing wrong in what he did. In fact, he makes excuses that the animals were spared so they could serve as sacrifices to God.
Then Samuel replied in 1 Samuel 15:22,
“What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams”.
What Samuel is saying, in essence, is that God is after the condition of our hearts rather than the works of our hands.
Our obedience represents our trust in Him, our submission to His will and our genuine relationship with Him. God is not impressed by outward religious actions if they are not backed by obedience.
In other words, you can do all the “right” things- praying, giving to others, paying tithes- but if you’re knowingly living in disobedience, those actions don’t mean much to God. He would rather have our surrendered hearts than our performances.
Let this post serve as a call for reflection. Examine your heart today.
Is your relationship with God based on your obedience or your performance?
Thank you so much for reading.
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Nice
Beautiful read