Obedience is better than Sacrifice 1 Samuel 15:22-23

Scripture:  1 Samuel 15:22-23 But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord?  To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king."  (NIV)

1 Samuel 15:22-23 Then Samuel said, Do you think all God wants are sacrifices— empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production. Not doing what God tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult. Getting self-important around God is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors. Because you said No to God's command, he says No to your kingship.  (MSG)

Observation:  Obedience is more important than sacrifice.  Sacrifice is defined as the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or people to a higher purpose or to God or the gods as an act of propitiation or worship.  Propitiation means the turning away of wrath by an offering.   This verse is saying that it is better to obey than to make a sacrifice later in repentance.   Disobeying what God wants me to do is a far greater sin than occult and idolatry.   In Saul’s situation, he lost his kingship.   

Application:  There an old saying I have heard in the business world: “It is better to ask for forgiveness later than for permission.”    I realize that the saying is wrong.  It is better to ask first and obey, than to seek forgiveness or give a sacrificial offering.   I see this from many sides.

1.  I have learned that it is better to not eat the unhealthy (too much or too poor a quality of food) AND to keep physically active instead of doing nothing.  These two actions equal obedience for my physical self.  If I do chose the unhealthy, that means I need to sacrifice to make up for the choice to overindulge.  When I was losing the 116 pounds, I needed to sacrifice or “uneat” (my word) the food.  I am thankful that the Lord was there to help me uneat and exercise to burn off the overindulgence in my past life.
2.  When I communicate with my words, I speak before I think.  I need God’s filter on my words.  I need to seek him and obey what he tells me to say.  I am forever working on this.  Just when I think I am better, I learn that I have stumbled.  Thankfully, God puts people in my life to help me see the truth.

I want to be obedient so that I do not have to sacrifice! 

Prayer:  Lord Almighty, forgive me for my actions and words that have negatively affected others as well as myself.  You are the Lord of my life and I want to live that out each moment.  Help me Lord to know your will.  I want to be obedient.    Thank you Lord, you have provided a multitude of blessings in my life.  Amen.

Mark 14:16 Finding things just as Jesus told them.

Scripture: Mark 14:12-16 12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”  13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’  15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”  16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.


Observation:  In verse 16 the disciples found things just as Jesus had told them.  The disciples were used to listening, following Jesus direction, and expecting things to be as Jesus directed. 

It amazes me over and over when I am prompted by God that something will happen, or to do something that I don’t understand the “why”, yet after I am obedient and do or say what I am prompted to do or say, it all amazingly fits together.

Application:  I need to stop questioning and start obeying.  I take too long to respond at times.  I am unsure, hesitant, and afraid.  I need to spend more time responding and less time questioning. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am sorry for the times that I do not respond or delay my response.  Jesus, you are my salvation.  I want to respond to you always in love and obedience.  Lord, help me to hear your voice, help me to respond in the most appropriate way that you desire.    Thank you for all the times that I sense your presence, your voice, your hand on my life.  I continue to be amazed.  Lord, I want to continue to be amazed by you. Amen.

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1 John 2:3-6 Obedience shows God that we love Him.

Scripture: 1 John 2:3-6 3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.4 Those who say, “I know him,” but do not do what he commands are liars, and the truth is not in them.5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

Observation:  This sin was regarding loving other believers.  In verse 5, obeying God’s word equals that our love for God is truly complete.  Our obedience to the Word is how we know we are in God.   Jesus is the Word, and we must live in Jesus.

Application: These verses seem so simple and easy.  However continuously living in obedience is harder and harder. There are times I am doing the work, spending time in the Word, striving to listen, and knowing that I am missing something.  I am too busy, the world is pushing in and I am not allowing enough margin to hear so that I can obey.  Next week I am going on Spiritual Retreat.  I have not been in awhile, allowing my schedule to crowd in.  I look forward to what God will reveal to me.  I am looking forward to the time with anticipation.  I recognize it is obedience in taking the time to spend with him that is making me smile.

Prayer:  Lord forgive me for not making the time in my schedule for a spiritual retreat.  Lord you are my Savior and my God.  Lord help me.  Protect me.  I look forward to my time with you.  Lord, I want to hear you and I want to show my love to you by obeying what I hear.  Thank you Lord for loving me and convicting me.   I need to retreat, (away from home in silence) to spend time with you.