What God Is Really Looking For

Reference: I Samuel 15:22-23 But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king."

Observation: We can be very good at sacrifice and very bad at obedience. There are a lot of us that make the effort to go to church every Sunday, even when it is a sacrifice. We give our tithes and support missions, even when we feel like we can not afford it. But when God asks us to do something we are not comfortable with, or He asks us not to do something that we really like to do, are we willing to obey?

A lot of Christians, for example, are hooked on pornography, alcohol or drugs. They are willing to sacrifice some things but they are not willing to obey when God tells them to give these things up. Some of us indulge in movies, TV, magazines or other media that we know God wants us to stay away from. We are not willing to obey. Sometimes God tells us clearly that we need to talk to someone or help someone. We are not willing to respond. We sacrifice but we do not obey.

As far as God is concerned, obedience is what counts. We need to be committed to doing what He tells us even before we hear what He is going to ask of us. Real obedience is the only way to please God and the best way to be blessed by Him.

Application/Confession: I hate the fact that my heart can rebel against the God who I love. A part of me wants to do what it wants to do, no matter what God thinks. I need to really understand and commit to true and complete obedience, no matter what He asks.

PRAYER: Lord, remind me that you value obedience over sacrifice. I am glad that I can sacrifice for you but I know that it is more important that I obey you. That is exactly what I want to do.