Monday, January 18, 2010

what was saul thinking


We hear the words of Samuel, "obedience is better than sacrifice."

Saul was misinformed. He thought that sacrifice was better than obedience. He thought that he could please God on his terms and not on God's terms.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

How often do I hear people seek to do this everyday when it comes to a life of faith. They will offer sacrifice, but only what pleases them. They will want to be spiritual but not religious. They will want God to meet them only on their terms while disavowing God any room to speak.

They want to have the last word and the first word in regards to a relationship with God. They want God to sit quietly and just take them as they are.

Well, God's response to Saul is a wake up call to us. Saul's leadership was taken from him precisely because he wanted God to meet him on his terms, in his way, but not on God's terms.

He sacrificed without obedience and in the end he lost everything.

Obedience honors God.

One can sacrifice without being obedient; one can never be obedient without sacrifice.

We must learn to sacrifice our opinions and our ways and our terms; we must offer them up and let them be consumed by God's request and thus in our humble submission our life becomes a fragrant offering where obedience fuels our love and honor for God.

Is this not what the cross is about?

"Let it be your will not my own."
The obedience of Christ on the cross destroys the walls we put up and shows us more clearly the new wine that brings perfect praise and honor to the Father.

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