In 1 Samuel 15 The Lord instructed King Saul to completely destroy the city of Amalek. Instead of destroying everything as God commanded, Saul and the people spared Amalek’s king and the best of the livestock. The Lord was grieved by this and told the prophet Samuel: “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as King, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.”
See, in God’s eyes King Saul disobeyed God. Even though Saul destroyed some of Amalek, he did not destroy all of it as The Lord said. God was expecting complete obedience. Many of us today are like Saul; obeying God in some ways, but not fully. For example, one may accept Christ as their Savior, but be unwilling to turn away from fornication. Or one may pray and go to church, but be unwilling to let go of friendships that distance him/her from Christ.
Is there something God has been telling you to do? Let’s remember that partial obedience is not true obedience.
1 Samuel 15:22 (NKJV)
So 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 heed than the fat of rams.”
Luke 11:28 (NIV)
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Written by Jolie Sanchez
