Daily Devotional

Most of us have encountered the frustration that comes with assembling a furniture item from a box. If not directly, at least second hand, like my daughters watching their dad groan and stomp about in the middle of putting it together. For some of us, this might stem from attempting to figure it out on our own without instructions, or convincing ourselves we've found a better way. Then comes the inevitable: taking it back apart, hoping we haven’t permanently damaged it. Of course, the consequences typically aren’t more than some extra time and a bruised ego. On a larger scale, history has shown several engineering disasters (in some cases, deadly) that have resulted from “cutting corners” and neglecting specifications.

In 1 Samuel 15, God’s servant Samuel had delivered clear and specific instructions to King Saul for completely wiping out the Amalekites (down to the last sheep) in a specific judgment from God. However, verse 9 says, “But Saul and the people spared king Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them”. When confronted by Samuel that there was clearly living livestock brought back, Saul justifies it in this way (vs.15): “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.”

We see a couple of insights here. First, notice that the “good” things were spared with the intent to bless God. Simply slaughtering these animals, especially the high-quality ones, would naturally appear inefficient and a waste. I can imagine someone reasoning, “Well, technically they’ll still be destroyed, right? So, it’s still obeying the command. What a tremendous sacrifice this can be to the Lord!” The antidote to this is humbling ourselves before the Lord, and allowing Him to search and examine our hearts, using his Word as the tool of the Spirit. Hebrews 4:12 bears this out more fully:

“For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Secondly, Saul mentions that the people spared the sheep. When pressed by Samuel on his disobedience, he doubles down further, saying “I have obeyed…but the people took the spoils”. When Samuel lays out the consequences, Saul finally confesses that he sinned by fearing the people and listening to their voice. This may seem like a turning point, but a bit later Saul begs Samuel to return with him and honor him before the elders and Israel in making sacrifice. He was still focused on his reputation before man, rather than his relationship to the true King. This isn’t saying that we shouldn’t listen to others. Seeking godly counsel from brothers and sisters in Christ is scriptural. However, that is quite a different thing than swaying to popular sentiment in opposition to God’s clear direction.

Samuel lays out that not obeying God is rebellion, which he then connects to the sin of divination (witchcraft) and idolatry. This was especially poignant, since Saul as part of his conquest drove out the witches from Israel. As commendable as that was, Samuel is basically saying that Saul’s disobedience is, at the heart level, made of the same stuff that witchcraft is.

To obey is better than sacrifice. This really means it’s a heart thing. Are we surrendering to Him daily, hearing His voice and devoting ourselves to Him completely? Are we settling for what appears to be “good sacrifices” before others, or diligently seeking His will?

Keith Green wrote a song with the title from this passage, challenging fellow believers to deeper devotion (I know it always gives me a good dose of conviction!). Each of the three verses begin with,
“To obey is better than sacrifice…” and then continue with:

1. “I don’t need your money; I want your life”
2. “I want more than Sundays and Wednesday nights”
3. “I want hearts of fire, not prayers of ice”

May we allow His Word to search us. Then may we respond in trusting obedience in presenting ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1).


Feel free to dig a bit deeper into this theme with the following scriptures:
Psalm 51:16-17
Romans 12:1-3
Psalm 139:23-24

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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