Obedience Better than Sacrifice

Through 1 Samuel we can know this fact all the more surely: there are those who look to God alone, like Samuel, David and Abigail, and there are those who live for the world and for themselves, like Saul or Doeg.

God wants believers, even as they live in a harsh world, to commit their lives to Yahweh and, like Samuel and David, to live blessed lives, always enjoying peace of heart and rest.

I hope you will have the faith of Samuel, who said that to obey is better than sacrifice, and believe that God will work in any situation. And until God

works, you should be patient, as David was. If you follow the faith of David, who even under Saul’s endless attacks obeyed God’s word and resolved to serve Yahweh with all his heart, you will surely live by grace under God’s protection.

Just as snow falling from the sky covers the whole world in white, God’s grace fills everyone without partiality. Whether you will keep that grace with a thankful heart as David did, or pour it out as worthless as Saul did, the choice is up to you.

Like those who serve Yahweh with all their heart and look to God, I hope you will believe that God alone is the master of your life, and obey. Just as God’s love made David’s life glorious, it will surely make your life beautiful.

1Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2He had two wives. The name of one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there. 4When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions; 5but to Hannah he gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but Yahweh had shut up her womb. 6Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because Yahweh had shut up her womb. 7As he did so year by year, when she went up to Yahweh’s house. Her rival provoked her; therefore she wept, and didn’t eat. 8Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” 9So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of Yahweh’s temple. 10She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Yahweh, weeping bitterly. 11She vowed a vow, and said, “Yahweh of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”

November 2015
Cho Chun-sook, Pastor of Watercourse Church