I am reminded of a story in the Bible when I think of this thought: It is better to obey than to sacrifice. In Samuel 15 Samuel came to tell Saul that God was going to annoint him King of Israel and Samuel told Saul to go and utterly destroy Amalek.
1 Samuel 15 verse 3
Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
Saul took his army and went and did part of what Samuel told him to do.
I Samuel 15:9
But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
In Sauls mind I am sure he justified that if he saved the best of the sheep and the best of the other animals that God would be please with the animals he choose to keep for a sacrifice unto the Lord. Back then that is what they did for an atonement for their sins. But if you read in verse 3 again he was told to utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not.
Isn't that how we come to God in our walk sometimes? We justify in our minds what we think would be good when God told us clearly what he expects from us?
I know I personally have battled something recently in my life, everytime the preacher would preach I would think of this thing that God had clearly told me in my heart to get rid of it. Everytime he would preach about doing God's perfect will, or being totally surrendered, this thing would come to mind.
Now this thing that God has dealt with my heart about may not be a sin to anyone else but for my walk to be right with the Lord I needed to completely obey in the instance.
One of the reason this thing has been so hard for me to let go of is because I have been told by several people that what I was doing was such a blessing to them and that I have helped them so much so in my mind I would justify my letting this thing go by saying but God it is helping so many people. But infact I was falling into the trap that this verse speaks about.
John 12:43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Is that how we want our children to obey us? Do we want them to reason in their minds what they think is best for their lives and choose what to obey and what not to obey? or do we want them to cave into peer pressure? No! We want complete obedience because we as parents see the whole picture and we know that what we say is for their own good or safety. Our heavenly Father sees the whole picture he knows what is for our own good and safety also.
I have finally surrendered this thing unto the Lord and walked away from it, It is very hard and I struggle with it everyday, but I know that ultimately with God's help and with his strength that ultimately the battle will be won.
When it is all said and done, We do not answer to man, we will give an account to the Savior on how we chose to obey in this life, I want to be found faithful and true to my Lord and as hard as it is sometimes, It is always better to obey than to sacrifice.
Bless the Lord!
