Every Friday I join a community of bloggers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt, five minutes. The prompt this week is … Sacrifice.
Sacrifice. The word brings to mind the giving up of something or the loss.
This life will require sacrifice of us – the giving up of time and our own plans, for life is not lived solely for ourselves.
Samuel truly came to understand the point of life was to fully surrender and commitment to the purposes of God, and challenges us with these words still today:
“What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22, NLT)
God wants our obedience, not our rote rituals. God desires that our ears be open to hear His Word and obey.
These words indicate the importance of our heart attitude over our offering. God wants our hearts to eagerly hear and willingly obey and follow Him.
David, in writing Psalm 40, reiterates this very same thought:
“You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand – you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings” (verse 6).
Only when God unplugged David’s ears to hear did he become willing and able to obey God.
And so it is with each of us. May we each come to say, like David:
“I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.”
(Psalm 40:8, NLT)
It’s interesting to think about how obedience and sacrifice are connected, because often obedience does involve sacrificing something, but other times sacrifices can be things we do to make ourselves feel good or look good and we can focus on what we are doing rather than seeking God. Thought-provoking post!
Very true, Leslie, and you have made me think a bit longer on this. Perhaps it is only as we sacrifice in obedience to hearing from the Lord, that our motivations will be pure.
I loved this post, Joanne. “God wants our obedience, not our rote rituals.” So true! It is sometimes counterinturitve, but this sacrifice we are asked to make is one that feels good.
Laurie, your comment brought me back to what I read earlier this morning in my devotional: “Are we more devoted to service that we are to Jesus Christ Himself?” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest). He asked a question that pricked the heart.
There’s nothing you can offer God
that He ain’t already got;
‘sacrifice’ is thereby flawed,
whatever’s in the pot.
You really cannot buy Him off
with trinkets and bright shiny stuff;
He’ll smile and nod, and then He’ll scoff,
for you can never bring enough.
There’s just one thing that you own,
the one thing that He needs,
for it is the seed He’s sown,
and the love for which He bleeds
every single day on Calvary
until, to Him, you find your way.
Amen, Andrew! This >>> “There’s just one thing that you own, the one thing that He needs, for it is the seed He’s sown …”
I was seventeen years old………I wanted a deeper walk with God and decided I was going to fast (sacrifice) in order to draw closer to Him. When I prayed, I asked the Lord so speak to me through His Word. I opened my Bible and my eyes immediately feel on the verse: “It is better to obey than sacrifice”. I kid you not. I was kind of crushed; it brought me to my knees, asking the Lord to please help me work on that area of my life to make it more pleasing to Him. I will never forget it. When He has our obedience, He has our heart.
I loved reading your testimony this morning, Angela. It is amazing how God spoke to your heart exactly what was needed to draw you to Himself. This one sentence says it all >> “When He has our obedience, He has our heart.” Amen.
No doubt, when our sacrifices are done/given out of obedience…we can echo David and take joy in doing His will!!
Yes may we come to ask like David!