Wed.’s Devo - To Obey is Better Than Sacrifice

Read: 1 Sam. 15:1-16:23, John 8:1-20, Ps. 110:1-7, Pr. 15:8-10 Once again, Saul has taken matters into his own hands and did it his way. He chose to please his men over God. Once again God told Saul he would take his kingdom away. Saul begged Samuel to come back with him and offer a sacrifice so the people would think that God was pleased with him. Saul was a people pleaser. The problem with being a people pleaser is that you will never succeed. You can never make all the people happy. Pleasing God is the only satisfying option. We do that by obeying Him, not by our presents and sacrifices. Samuel had to obey God’s word and anoint the youngest of Jessie’s sons even though the older ones looked like a king. God could see David’s heart and it was the heart of the king God was looking for. God got David into the palace covertly as a harpist. If we obey God…He will bring it to pass. In John we have the story of the woman caught in adultery. I once asked God what Jesus wrote in the sand because I know God loves to reveal his mysteries. He led me to Jer. 17:13, which says, “O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.” I think that is what he wrote…the names of the men standing around watching. He must have started with the genealogy of the oldest. As they saw their names being written in the ground I have to believe the Holy Spirit reminded them of this verse. How could Jesus know their names except through supernatural God? It caused them all to leave. Lord, help us to obey You and do everything Your way instead of ours. May our lives be pleasing to You for You are who we long to honor.