To Obey is better than Sacrifice. It’s a beautiful gem in the Old Testament which can sometimes be missed! And, when we read something in the bible about sacrificing animals, it’s all too easy to disregard it as out of date because of what Jesus did on the cross.

Jesus’ death and resurrection means we don’t need to sacrifice animals in the Temple. But it doesn’t lessen the importance of obedience for us Christians.

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices  or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice… 1 Samuel 15:22 (New Living Translation)

Put really simply, animal sacrifice made God pleased in the Old Testament times. But, despite that, obedience was what mattered above and beyond that. Actually that theme reappears elsewhere in the Old Testament – when God gets fed up with people doing what their duty is, rather than simply obeying God.

Obedience almost sounds like a dirty word these days, outside of the Armed Forces where soldiers are taught to obey the commands of those senior to them. And that obedience is even more important for us as Christians.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that giving to the poor, fighting for social injustices is what God wants from you. It is good to care for the people we meet. In the book of James, the author – of the same name – tells us that pure religion is exactly that of caring for orphans and widows.

More important that any of that, though, is being obedient to God. He desires our hearts over our hands.

Just a thought…

Andy B

This video will always be best enjoyed on our website: https://www.berrybunch.org/Articles/665783/S05E089_Obedience_v.aspx 

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