Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice

.... And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry (1 Samuel 15:22, 23). The Lord had told King Saul though Samuel to destroy the enemy completely, and to take no booty. But when Samuel came he could hear the bleating of the sheep that had been spared (verse 14). Saul had done most of what the Lord had told him to do, but he had allowed the people to take “the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD .... in Gilgal” (verse 21). And Saul had allowed this because he “feared the people and obeyed their voice” (verse 24).

There are more than a few ingredients of our fallen ways that are present here, our obedience only to those parts of what God requires that appeal to us, and our ignoring the rest, telling ourselves that partial obedience is obedience (verse 13), rationalizing our disobedience, blame, fear of man (verse 21), rebellion, stubbornness etc. But how is rebellion like witchcraft, and stubbornness as iniquity and idolatry? Well, rebellion is outright, active opposition to God, it is taking the side of the enemy against God, and is in fact obeying the enemy's voice. Obstinate resistance to God and disobedience are in fact tantamount to idolatry, because both are essentially worship of, and trust in, self will.

The excuse that “well we just wanted to have something to sacrifice to You God,” is also problematic. “I'll do it my way” is also part of will worship, and religious observance is empty if we are not loving God with all our heart mind soul and strength. We are to be living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), but as David tells us “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart — these, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). A broken spirit is not the same as a crushed spirit. A broken spirt comes, as we come to the end or ourselves, when we come to the place where we not only want to do things God's way, but with His help we do it. There is life that flows out of having our self will broken, and death flows out of hanging onto it.

Lord Jesus, broken lives are why You died on Calvary, and the conviction and brokenness I am feeling this morning, is not condemnation, for there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). Your Word tells me Lord, that if You are not Lord of all, You are not Lord at all. So I come to You again this morning for forgiveness, cleansing and recommissioning. I love You Lord, thank You for Your sacrifice. You died that I might live, and I give You all the honour, all the Glory and all the praise in Your holy and lovely and precious Name Amen