Obedience is More Important Than Sacrifice

Samuel was choosing the next king of Israel. Saul was rejected because he was not obedient. In the preceding chapter, Saul was supposed to annihilate the Amalekites...every person and every animal. 

“But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭15:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Obedience is more important than sacrifice. 

God chose David instead of Saul. These two chapters of 1 Samuel show the first and second kings of Israel.  If you consider the life of Saul, he does not have the traffic record of David. 

But God spoke of David as a “man after his own heart.” Again, many things about David’s life was not sin-free. He was a murderer. He was an adulterer. He was not a good dad, in many respects. 

In my worldly thinking, Saul would still perhaps be my choice of king. He kept the good stuff to offer it the Lord as a sacrifice. He had a tender heart and did not want to kill Agag. I wouldn’t want to kill him either. He was not a wicked king at all. 

But when Samuel pointed out his sin, Saul always had an excuse. Do you always have an excuse for your disobedience? Do you blame it on your parents? Perhaps, when you know that you need to give a tithe of your money, do you blame it on your financial problems? You justify that you are pretty good overall. No murders in your life. Keeping a few sheep to sacrifice here and there. 

“ The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.””

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭16:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

David’s heart. When God convicted him of his sin, David wept over his sin and then accepted God’s forgiveness. He believed that God forgave him.  

I want to follow the Lord with all my heart. I want to love the things the Lord loves.  I want to accept his forgiveness and know that it is removed “as far and the east is from the west.” I don’t have to earn this forgiveness. Can’t earn it. I want to not try to offer a sacrifice with my church attendance or of reading the Bible everyday or acts of service. Can’t earn a badge. 

Saul looks good to the church goers of today. David does not try to post things that the Christian community gives a bunch of likes to reward. He reveals his weakness and his desperation.