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.
(1 Sa 15:22) Why is obedience better than sacrifice? It's because, when we obey God, we acknowledge that God knows what is best for us and we welcome Him to work His will in our lives.
There are many today who give undue importance to rites, rituals and traditions, like the Pharisees of biblical times and they pride themselves on being legalistic.
Yet, God takes more pleasure and delight when His child obeys His voice than make vain offerings and sacrifices.
A missionary was washing her breakfast dishes when she saw John, the five-year-old neighbor, headed straight toward the back verandah.
She had just finished painting the verandah railings and she was proud of her work.
Fearing Jimmy would ruin her paint by touching it, she yelled at him, "Come around to the front door, Jimmy.
There's wet paint on the verandah.
" "I'll be careful," John replied, not turning from his path.
The lady shouted again, knowing John's tendency to mess things up.
"I'll be careful," he said again, by now dangerously close to the verandah.
"Stop!" the lady shouted.
"I don't want carefulness.
I want obedience!" As the words burst from her mouth, she suddenly remembered Samuel's response to King Saul: To obey is better than sacrifice.
John immediately stopped running and came through the front door.
There are times when we rationalize our actions by saying "I will be careful Lord".
But He doesn't want carefulness.
He wants obedience.