What exactly does this mean?

Obedience is better than sacrifice in everything that we do as we serve the Lord, and as Children of God, we are to live in total and complete obedience to the LORD, no matter the cost.

Scripture – 1 Samuel 15:22 (Saul’s Disobedience)

So 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 heed than the fat of rams.

In 1 Samuel 15:7-23 we read where Saul was given instructions to kill everyone including the king.  However, instead, he spared the kind and the animals.  Because of his complete disobedience, the kingdom was taken from him.

Instead of obeying what the Lord told him to do through Samuel, Saul caved in under the pressure from those around him and also he failed to listen to the Lord and disobeyed a simple instruction.  This is why Samuel told him that obedience is better than sacrifice.

THOSE WHO CHOSE TO BE OBEDIENT

Why Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice?

KING DAVID

In the scripture, David is know as a man ofter God’s heart.  Like Saul, he was anointed king of Israel.  The difference between the two is that when David’s sin with Bathsheba was exposed by Nathan the prophet instead of puffing up himself with pride, he humbled himself before the LORD and repented.  Saul on the other hand, tried to defend his disobedient action by telling Samuel that he brought back the animals for sacrifice to the LORD. 

Irrespective of his motives for not killing the animals, this was still disobedience in the eyes of the LORD.  

ABRAHAM

In Genesis, we read about Abraham whom God instructed to leave his relatives in the land of Haran and to go to another land.  Abraham had no idea where he was going, however, instead of questioning the LORD, he trusted His direction.  Because of this, Abraham was deemed righteous.

Although I have only mentioned David and Abraham, there are more patriachs in the Bible who have chosen to obey the LORD despite what may or may not happen to them.

We are called by the LORD to trust Him and always be obedient no matter what we think or feel.  Although we may not understand, we must at all times trust the process because the LORD knows the beginning from the end.

Many of us have been called to go into ministry full-time or to start a business but have refused to answer the call from God.

The first thing we often think about is; how are my bills going to be paid; where am I going to get money from, etc.  We start thinking about us and what is going to happen to the lifestyle that we have created for ourselves.

Regardless of not knowing or understanding what is going to happen, we have to be in total obedience and step out of our comfort zones.

Let us remember that the will of God will not take us somewhere, where the grace of God will not protect us.