But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”
1 SAMUEL 15:22
If God instructs us to do something — whether through his Word, a prompting of the heart, or the words of a godly adviser — we must quickly obey. If we have not been obedient to the most recent thing God asked us to do, we cannot expect to be entrusted with more.
Obedience may be as simple as sending someone a note of encouragement, apologizing to a friend for being short-tempered, volunteering in church, talking to someone about Jesus, giving something away, getting marriage counseling, dealing with an addiction, watching less television, or adopting a child. Whatever it is, we must remember that every small step of obedience has eternal ramifications. If we choose not to obey, our hearts can begin to harden, which will inevitably silence the voice of God in our lives.
So often we want to do everything else but obey God. We will read the Bible more, pray more, worship more, give more, or serve more, when God does not want us to do anything other than obey. If we respond in obedience, however difficult it may seem, it is always for our benefit, because God is for us and not against us. Obedience to God is the key to a life full of love, joy, peace, hope, progress, success, blessing, abundance, and prosperity. Obedience is actually very simple; it’s just not easy.
MOMENT OF REFLECTION
As you strive to follow God more closely, how can you more fully and joyfully obey his promptings?
What is God telling you to do?