1 Samuel 15:22-23
Then Samuel said, Do you think all God wants are sacrifices—
empty rituals just for show?
He wants you to listen to him!
Plain listening is the thing,
not staging a lavish religious production.
Not doing what God tells you
is far worse than fooling around in the occult.
Getting self-important around God
is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors.
Because you said No to God’s command,
he says No to your kingship.
(The Message Bible. Bible Gateway, biblegateway.com, Accessed January 22, 2022).
Disobedience causes pain, loss of blessing, and tragically loss of purpose. Sometimes the Holy Spirit repeatedly reveals to us that it’s time to leave the job, friendship, relationship, or business venture. But we like the job, it has paid us well and has great benefits. The friend has been in our life for many years. We do not have a boyfriend, he is our husband, and there is a soul tie. And yes, the business associate does not follow all the rules and mishandles the employees, but earnings are off the charts.
Disobedience invites painful circumstances to happen. The job bankrupt, a friend betrays, the husband leaves, and a business partner forces us out of the business. Leaving us heartbroken and finally ready to listen to the instructions of the Holy Spirit. Although great victories can come after great losses, the truth is, that we should not have to suffer to obey.
Obedience is better than the sacrifice of disobedient consequences and the confirmation is in the text above (Because you said No to God’s command, he says No to your kingship). What a tragic loss. As a child of God, we have committed to obeying God, trusting in His ways, and trusting in His instructions. Ultimately, we suffer because we did not consult God before we made a move or started following the instructions and then veered off in another direction.
Regardless of how we end up with the consequences, the lesson is to fully obey God. God is strategic and may not provide the full plan but reveal it in phases. Follow the steps. It builds our trust in God as He reveals step-by-step instructions rather than overwhelming us with a vision larger than our thoughts. And in the end, the vision is completed, and we glorify God with our testimony. God loves us, desires what is best for us, and leads us to His perfect will when we obey.
Prayer
Abba Father oh how we love you. We are assured from the countless times your ways provided great results that obeying your instructions work. But the humanity in us rises, rebellion takes over, and we sometimes decide to do things our way. As your prodigal children, we return to your safety, provision, and love. And as our Abba, you welcome, love, and reinstate our relationship with you. Thank you, Father! Our soul longs for the day that we deny our flesh and depend on you before your grace is removed. As we war between rebellion and submission, we ask grace to cover the times we turn away, deny, and disobey, please continue to extend your unconditional love and receive us when we return to our right minds.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Categories: Journey
