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"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.
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He also has rejected you from being king.'"
(1 Samuel 15:22-23)
King Saul thought he knew better than God and decided to help God. Can you relate? Have you ever chosen your way over God's way because you too felt you understood the situation better even than God? It was a costly mistake on Saul's part. As you can read in the focal text for today's devotion, God stripped Saul of his kingship because of his blatant disobedience to Him.
Dr. Stanley writes, "Disobedience sends a message to the Lord, declaring that we know better than He does when it comes to our lives and the circumstances surrounding them." This teaching by Stanley reminds me of the sin of worrying, something I unfortunately am too well acquainted with! When we worry, we are in essence telling God He cannot handle whatever it is that concerns us.
Philippians 4:6-7 tells us that we should not worry about anything but pray with thanksgiving. We rationalize away the clear teaching of this verse and convince ourselves that we are not worrying or being anxious, but we are just being concerned with the matter. This logic reminds me of people sharing "prayer requests" when in reality they are only gossiping.
"Satan, however, has another goal in mind. He seeks to tempt believers to disobey God, usually by telling them the Lord's promises cannot be trusted and that we can enjoy life more if we ignore His commands. Remember, disobedience always has fierce repercussions—feelings of guilt, shame, and worthlessness, broken lives, destroyed marriages, and bitter disputes, among them."
What sage counsel from Dr. Stanley.
How are you doing in your relationship with the Lord? Are you walking in obedience and enjoying the blessings and favor of God? Or are you walking with God at a guilty distance, separated from his sweet fellowship because of your choosing to disobey Him? If that is the case, then please know that nothing would delight the heart of God more than for you to repent and turn back to Him. He will receive you with open arms and forgive you. Not convinced? Read Luke 15, the parable of the prodigal son that Jesus told. God will run to meet a repentant soul the moment he or she turns their heart toward God.
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