All-the-Way Obedience

“Tell me,” Samuel said. “Does the Lord really want sacrifices and offerings? No! He doesn’t want your sacrifices. He wants you to obey him.

1 Samuel 15:22 (CEV)

It had already been a long, bloody day. King Saul and his men were on direct orders from God, as told through the prophet Samuel: wipe out the Amalekites. Kill everything (and that meant everything). Saul’s army swept through with a great victory, but now they came to the Amalekite king, and the herds of animals.

We can imagine the debate: Kill the king? Better to have some fun with him first. And why kill the animals, too? You sure you heard right? What a waste! And a lot of work. We deserve some rewards.

And so, King Saul caved and didn’t carry out God’s commands. When Samuel caught up with the army, he heard the sound of sheep and cattle and found the king in chains. They had done it mostly right, but didn’t fully obey God. Saul’s disobedience cost him the throne, and more importantly, his relationship with God. He spent the rest of his days without God’s presence.

What commands are you half-obeying? What little lies are you telling God, your pastor or parents, and yourself? What excuses are you trying out: “I didn’t really know”; “It didn’t make sense;” “It was too hard”; “No one else was doing it.”

Following God with our whole heart means we bravely obey no matter what others think, how we feel, or what makes sense. It is doing the hard things. The reward of being right with God is always worth it.

SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING

Spend some time asking God to show you in what area of your life you are being disobedient or holding back from God’s control. Ask for forgiveness and help to not do it again.

INSPIRATION

“The will of God for your life is simply that you submit yourself to him each day and say, ‘Father, your will for today is mine. Your pleasure for today is mine. Your work for today is mine.’”

—Kay Arthur, American writer and speaker

KEEP IT GOING

Related passages: These additional verses will help you expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.

1 Samuel 15:23

Psalm 40:6

John 6:38

John 14:23–24