To Obey Is Better than Sacrifice

Through 1 Samuel we can see this truth all the more clearly. 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 his people, even as they make their way through a harsh world, to entrust their lives to Yahweh and, like Samuel and David, to live a blessed life, with hearts always at peace and at rest.

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

works, we must wait patiently, as David did. Under Saul’s endless attacks, David still obeyed God’s word and resolved to serve Yahweh with all his heart. If we follow that faith of his, we will surely live by grace under God’s protection.

As snow falling from heaven covers the whole world in white, God’s grace fills everyone without partiality. Will you treasure that grace with a grateful heart, as David did, or spill it out as worthless, as Saul did? The choice is yours.

Like those who serve Yahweh with all their heart and keep their eyes on God, may you believe that God alone is the master of your life, and obey him. 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