OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN BLESSING

“And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22).

 

It is written, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” I say it is also better than blessing. This is the deepest meaning in the story of Abram offering Isaac on the altar. God said, “Go and do this.” He obeyed. Did Abram leave that altar saying, “God changed his mind”? I don’t think so. God wanted only obedience. I have just experienced that today. God told me to negotiate and gave me every evidence that I should claim a certain thing. I did. I did everything in my power to obtain it. But I didn’t get it! What now? Shall I question God? Shall I doubt he spoke to me? Shall I believe Satan hindered me? No! I sought the Lord diligently. He said, “Do this,” and I did it. I will rest in the peace of obedience. That makes it better than blessing. God shows you only one side of the coin—obedience.

 

The servant must obey without question! That, too, is faith: When a master commandeth his servant to go, he goeth; to come, and he cometh.

 

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15).

 

Can a man purpose in his heart to trust God when it appears he is breaking promise? Can a man still speak the language of faith when all his leadings “blow up” in his face? The giants of faith did! Men of great faith faced the most fiery trials. God has peculiar ways of developing faith, and the deeper in God you go, the more peculiar will be your testing. Do not be led to think that afflictions are necessarily proof you are displeasing him! Miracles are produced only amidst impossibilities. So you desire to be a child of faith—then ready yourself for a life of most peculiar testings.

 

Faith comes by using what you have. Don’t wait for obstacles to be removed. Go forth

anyhow! The most critical part of faith is “the last half hour.”