Obedience is Better than Sacrifice

 "...The Lord has anointed you..." 1 Samuel 10:1. 

Saul was tall, handsome, charismatic and 

anointed by God to lead his chosen people. 

He began well but ended by committing suicide. 

Obviously it is not enough to be chosen by God, 

to be given His Spirit, His seal of approval. 

What went wrong?

First Saul was impatient, 

he did not wait for God to tell him 

what to do through His prophet Samuel. 

Then he blamed others for his mistakes, 

not learning from them. 

Then he became arrogant, 

acting as if he did not need God. 

Finally he blatantly disobeyed God's commands. 

So I have to watch out for my impatience, 

even the little ones, 

like when I am unkind to telemarketers 

who bother me when I am busy, 

or to sales people who take 

too long doing their job, 

or with people who do not understand my instructions. 

Unkindness, impatience are little things 

but lead to bigger things like arrogance, 

rebellion and disobedience,

 that bring us farther and farther away from God! 

That's what I've learned from poor Saul 

who was so blessed when he was young! 

 

"Obedience is better than sacrifice."

1 Samuel 15:22

Samuel the prophet told this to Saul

after Saul blatantly disobeyed God's order

to destroy ALL of the Amalekites.

But Saul kept the best of the sheep and oxen,

to sacrifice to God.

  

Sometimes we may have good intentions,

but if we do not take the time to  read

God's letter to us, the Bible,

if we don't take time to pray

and to listen to Him,

how can we obey?

 

"...God..who has blessed us in Christ 

with every spiritual blessing in the heavens...

chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world...

 I pray that he will give light to the eyes of your hearts, 

so that you will understand 

the hope to which he has called you,

 what rich glories there are in the 

inheritance he has promised his people..." Ephesians 1:3,18

This passage is especially meaningful to me today,

 as yesterday a good and faithful brother, 

the son of dear friends, passed away. 

 Hanzel Sarceda was so young,

 so full of promise, so eager to serve God 

and his younger brothers and sisters.... 

Why Lord? Why take Him away from us 

at the prime of his life? 

Why take him away from his parents who spent 

the whole of their lives serving you? 

It does not make sense!

 

But if we see through the eyes of our hearts, 

if the Holy Spirit illumines the truth for us, 

we realize that Hanzel now has what we all hope for. 

 He is claiming his inheritance now! 

Too soon, we say. 

But God claims His precious ones when He wants to! 

Perhaps we are the ones called too late! 

There are still things we need to do

 to claim the riches of his glory! 

I like to think of Hanzel basking in the Father's embrace. 

It makes his passing on easier to understand. 

In Deuteronomy 28 ,

it lists down the blessings that are ours

when we obey.

All those blessings are now covering Hanzel!

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Blessings,

Patsy

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