But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than to sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22)
Have you ever observed soldiers with great abilities fail because they refused to submit to a leader’s authority? They simply chose to disobey. King Saul suffered the consequences of disobedience. God chose him from all the men of Israel to be king. But Saul’s rule ended with his life. He never had a dynasty. Refusing to destroy the Amalekites completely as God had commanded through the prophet Samuel, Saul did as he pleased for selfish gain. His rebellion cost him his kingship, and ultimately favor with God.
Admittedly, doing our own thing can seem very tempting. But any time we choose to disobey what we know God wants us to do, we can be certain there will be consequences. Learn from Saul.
To obey God is more important than any sacrifice we can make.
