OBEDIENCE VERSUS SACRIFICE: GOD’S PRIME TARGET

Well, hello there dear gist partner.

How is the month going for you so far? It is my hope that the cares of life do not overwhelm you and that you remember that your Father in Heaven has got you and can handle all things.

Welcome to today’s gist.

Something really funny happened between me and God and I said I was going to share: I currently live in a shared space and while I was going to spread out my clothes to dry on Saturday, I noticed that someone had put something on the fire but had left it unattended to, I had no idea where she went to but she wasn’t around. I went to spread my clothes and came back and as I was going to my room, I looked and saw that she still wasn’t around, in fact na only me dey the entire place. I got back to my room and was wondering where she go wey she don forget say she put something for fire. A few minutes later, God told me to go and check on what was on the fire but I didn’t want to go: first, that would warrant me getting up from the position of premium comfort that I had settled into; secondly, I was a little miffed at the person in question for something that she had done to me. It didn’t take long before I realised that I had no hope of any form of peace if I didn’t go to check on the food as e no go good if e burn. I stood up, telling God in my heart “oya, You don win; I dey go” and when I got to the kitchen, the owner of the food too don come and she started thanking me for being kind enough to come and check on the food. As I turned to go back to my room, I shook my head with a smile on my lips as I asked God why He made me stand up when He had already reminded who get food to come check am. That’s when I realized that what was in focus wasn’t the food, it was my obedience; God wasn’t as interested in my going to check the food as He was in my obedience to His instruction.

You know sometimes we let ourselves be lured into thinking that the test of our obedience is only in the big and grand things like leaving the familiar as Abraham had to do or waiting for days on end like Saul and his army had to do for Samuel. But sometimes, the test of our obedience is in the little things, the ‘minute’ details, the ‘little nudges’ from God; and these things are sometimes harder to follow than the grand gestures. These seemingly little acts of obedience, I’ve found, could actually be doing more to develop you as a Christian because some of such acts of obedience are only between you and God so learning to obey Him in situations where the both of you are the only players and no one else would be affected is in itself a prime example of worship. Here’s what the Prophet Samuel says on the matter of obedience: “And Samuel said, “Has 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 listen than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22, ESV) This means that as wonderful as your offerings and acts of sacrifices to God may be, God is more interested in your obedience than those things; your sacrifices only become pleasing to God when they come from an obedient heart, one that has been tested and can be trusted to obey God in every situation –no  matter how high or low the stakes are.

As a generation, we have quite unfortunately become so caught up in the idea of giving offerings, especially financial ones, that we have almost relegated obedience to God, which should be primary focus, to the background –our priorities have become really mixed up. The first and best offering we can give to God will always be a submissive and obedient heart and it is from there that every other offering must flow.  Here’s what Micah says: ““With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil.…” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:6-7a, 8, ESV) What Micah is saying is that the premium God has placed on obedience cannot be substituted by anything else because the acceptability of whatever offering you give, no matter how large it is, is tied to the condition of the heart that it comes from. This is why God said in Isaiah 1:13: “Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.” (ESV) That’s because His focus has never been on these things, His prize has always been our hearts. 

Does this mean that God won’t take your offerings or that you shouldn’t give in church and to the work of God? No. This means that rather that all your offerings to God must come from a heart that has first been given to Him in submission and obedience, then everything else can follow. 

May God help our hearts to remain obedient to Him in every situation. 

TUNES AND THOUGHTS: our song recommendation for this week is ‘Kings and Priests’ by Moses Akoh and Caleb David. I woke up last Friday with this song in my heart, I listened to it on repeat from Friday till Monday. This song is call to remembrance of who you are: a king and a priest unto God, in community with other kings and priests; this consciousness of who you are in God will help you check your behaviour and make sure that at every point in time, your actions are those that are in conformity with your calling and office. I pray it blesses your heart as you listen. 

Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/moses-akoh/song/kings-and-priests-live?share-user-id=140072136

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/4Sgsk2f3xi5L3zzRnYfxnm?si=Nu0cen_QSK2CyI3RD63DFA 

YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=wzWHq8OLMO4&si=8FK2SyfmwuPme9M8 

Well, that is that about that as far as that is concerned; happy Valentine’s Day in advance and see you next week. 

Love, 

Achenyo.