“But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.”

1 Samuel 15:20

How do you define obedience?

God told King Saul to go to war and annihilate the Amalekites (1 Sam. 15:1-3). He did not put any exception clause in Saul’s marching orders. All means all to God. Saul’s consideration may have sounded laudable to him, and an honoring to God. But did God ask for what he planned to do?

“Now go, attack the Amalekites and destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys” (3).

But Saul had his ideas. His arrogance in this matter is incredible (13-16, 20-21).

Partial obedience is not obedience, regardless of our “good” intentions. We are not wiser than God. Neither are we more loving than Him. So, do not let us pretend to be more considerate and kinder than Him. When God judges and chooses us for its execution, we have no right to do it any other way than what He has determined.

Saul had his sheep to sacrifice to God if he wanted to. But to take what God had determined to destroy and raise it to Him as a sacrifice was sacrilegious.

As Samuel said,

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

    as much as in obeying the Lord?

 To obey is better than sacrifice,

    and to heed is better than the fat of rams” (22).

It is your turn today. What has God told you to do, and how do you plan to do it?

Shalom, and good morning.