February 20, 2023
And 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 listen than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)
Have you ever been given explicit instructions to accomplish a task for someone but, upon doing the job, not necessarily following the instructions given to you? Was there a consequence for your disobedience?
In today’s Scripture passage from First Samuel chapter fifteen, God had instructed King Saul through Samuel to annihilate the people of Amalek in (v. 3), “Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” King Saul did not follow God’s instructions, and with that, there were consequences; God pronounced His judgment upon King Saul. This is the Word of the Lord to King Saul, but it could just as easily be us that God is speaking to today. As ambassadors of Jesus, we should delight in and obey God’s commands.
God is saying to us through His Word today that it is better to obey Him than to keep saying sorry to Him. It is better to do what God is telling us to do than to offer sacrifices continually. This is what the Israelites did. They would sin, and then they would come before God and offer the fat of rams to Him (the fat is the choicest part of a ram). They offered the fat as atonement for their sin, then went away and continued sinning. There was no change in their behavior. Likewise, our behaviors must change when we repent (do an about-face) from our sinful ways.
Friends, there is no shortcut to Heaven. As ambassadors of Jesus Christ, God requires us to obey His Word. The Bible says the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God. We do not purposefully disobey someone we love. Moreover, if we love someone, we do not want to cause them to hurt or have heartache. For instance, if you love your wife or husband, you will not be unfaithful to them. Why? Because you love them. This is what God is asking of us. We cannot love God and consistently disobey Him. Would you pray with me?
Dear Heavenly Father, I come humbly before You. Forgive me, I pray, for often taking Your Grace for granted. I repent before You today, and I turn from my sin. Father, I choose to walk in obedience to You and Your commands. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Encouraging Words: God’s commands are designed to guide us to His Perfect Will for our lives and, in turn, life’s very best.
God Bless you, Friends, and have a Blessed Day <><
Thoughts by Randall Stapleton is a Daily Devotion brought to you by The Bridge - Learn more at https://wearethebridge.org
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