They Were Not Willing

What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice...
1st Samuel 15:22 NLT

This was the prophet Samuel speaking to King Saul right before he pronounced God's rejection of Saul as king. Why? Because Saul had taken matters into his own hands and did not follow God's command. It seemed to Saul that it would be okay because he said he was going to use what he kept to sacrifice to the Lord, but that's not what God had said to do. Saul was disobedient.  In this particular passage, I can almost hear Saul ask Samuel, "What's the big deal?"

In verse 9 (AMP), it reads, Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and everything that was good, and they were not willing to destroy them entirely; but everything that was undesirable or worthless they destroyed completely. But God had told them to destroy everything. In verse 23, Samuel told Saul, Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 14:12, There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, But its end is the way of death.

Jesus told His disciples in John 14:23-24, NLT, All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.

It's about obedience. Obeying the voice of the Lord God. Pastor Alan Neel made the statement, "We're not responsible for the results; just the obedience." Oftentimes, we go through life doing "good enough" - not our best effort, not our whole-hearted attempt, but what we consider good enough. Close enough. And the world accepts that. However in the Word, we're taught, Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

Good and pleasing and perfect. Obedience. Anything less is not good enough.

Prayer:

Father,
            As we delve into Your Word, wash us with it. Renew a right spirit within us. Transform our hearts and minds. It is our heart's desire to fully follow You in obedience, to be good and pleasing and perfectly in Your will. Help us, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen