The Cost of Disobedience
Be encouraged by today’s Scripture reflection and prayer.
Today's Scripture
"And Saul said, 'They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.'" (1 Samuel 15:15 NKJV)
Reflection
I can’t count the times growing up when I heard, “Didn’t I tell you?” It was usually because I didn’t exactly follow the instructions given to me. And of course, I’d always plead my case for why I didn’t follow the directions,
usually because I thought I could do it better or just wanted to do it my way.
I can imagine King Saul responding to the prophet Samuel in the same way, like a child caught not obeying. Saul had been instructed to destroy everything, but he thought the best of the plunder should be spared, and he claimed his reason was to sacrifice the animals to the Lord. He said, "Look, I did what God asked, but what’s the harm in veering off a little?"
Saul thought partial obedience was good enough. But was it? And how often do we do the same thing? We obey in some areas but not in others. Maybe we show up to church, read our Bibles, or give to the poor, but we choose which scriptures to obey. For example, we may love the command to forgive, but we struggle to forgive someone who has deeply hurt us. Or, we might give, but struggle to show compassion when someone needs us.
God doesn’t want our sacrifices if they come at the cost of disobedience. He desires full obedience. As it says in 1 Samuel 15:22, “So Samuel said: 'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.'"
I’m not exempt either. There have been times when I’ve been faithful in my Bible study and prayer, but then my response in a situation wasn’t loving or graceful. In that moment, I realize that all the Bible reading and prayer are for nothing if my heart isn’t fully surrendered. Partial obedience is not obedience at all. God desires our complete submission. It’s not about what we think is best; it’s about yielding our will, our ways, and our thoughts to His.
We see the best example of this in Jesus Christ. Even though He was God, He submitted fully to the will of the Father. Jesus’ obedience to the Father, even to the point of death, shows us that true obedience is complete and without compromise.
Today's Prayer
Lord, help me not to settle for partial obedience. Teach me to submit fully to Your will, even when it’s difficult or goes against my own understanding. Thank You for Jesus, who is the perfect example of obedience. Help me follow His example in every area of my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Before You Go
Submitting and picking up the cross is a daily endeavor. Our obedience should flow from a heart aligned with God. God isn’t impressed with our rituals or offerings if our hearts resist Him. True obedience comes from a place of surrender. Think about areas where you may have been offering partial obedience instead of full submission. Are there things you’re holding back from God because you think you know better or because you want to do it your way? Ask God to reveal those areas, and commit to fully obeying His Word, just as Jesus did, trusting that His way is always best.
Yesterday’s Devotional
