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“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22, NIV).
Insight
One of Saul’s fatal errors was his willingness compromise. It cost him the kingdom. No matter what others were doing around him, Saul held the ultimate responsibility for his own actions and decisions. No matter how he tried to rationalize it, at the end of the day it was compromise.
Saul compromised in the battle with the Philistines: “So he demanded, ‘Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!’ And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself” (13:9). He failed to wait for Samuel. In doing so he acted foolishly and took matters into his own hands… doing as he saw fit.
He also compromised in the battle with Amalekites: “Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves and the lambs- everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality” (15:9). Saul was afraid of the people and gave in to them. He sinned and violated God’s command. His partial obedience was not obedience at all.
Samuel cuts to the heart of the matter saying, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams” (15:22, NIV). Compromise isn’t a short cut… it’s a sell out. It never get’s you anywhere. It destroys your future and diminishes your influence. Compromise is your enemy! Obedience is best. “Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right” (Ps 106:3, NIV).
Prayer
Father, I rid myself of compromise. I refuse to take shortcuts. I desire to do Your will and constantly do what is right. Yes, Lord, obedience is better than sacrifice. Find me faithful. In Jesus name, AMEN.
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I just read this passage this morning again: Matthew 5.29: "And if your right eye offends you, pluck it out and cast it from you. For it is better for you that one of your members should perish and not that your whole body should be cast into hell." If anything in your life or even anyone - any relationship that is potentially harmful to you - they must be cut off from us and CAST away. Interesting that we in addition to plucking it out we have to CAST it away also so we won't be tempted to pick it up again and attach it back to ourselves. We have to throw it away. I think there are some things or maybe even most things that tempt us most are obviously because we LIKE them. Saul and his men took the things that they LIKED. It was hard for them to destroy them because they craved after them in their hearts. May we, like Joseph, run away from anything that tempts us and not take it lightly. Those things that can take us aways from the Lord and His blessings should not be looked upon with levity. We should run.
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