The Cost of Partial Obedience

Week 26, Weekend

Ginger Spradlin

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. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (nkjv)

God gave very clear instructions to Saul through the prophet Samuel as to how he was to deal with the Amalekites. Saul obeyed partially instead of fully. Saul refused to destroy the things that he felt were good and useful, but was willing to destroy everything that was despised and worthless. God told Samuel He greatly regretted that He had set up Saul as king over Israel, for Saul had turned back from following God. He had not obeyed God’s commandment. Saul claimed that he had fully obeyed the Lord. When Samuel confronted him regarding his disobedience, Saul blamed the people for sparing the best so they could sacrifice it to God.

On the surface sacrificing the best to God sounded noble, perhaps even righteous. But God considered it to be neither. Saul had willfully disobeyed the Lord’s clear instructions. He had obeyed only the instructions that he liked, the part that seemed reasonable to him and the people. At times we can be guilty of the very same thing. Sometimes we set up our own standard of obedience based upon human reasoning and not upon God’s complete revelation. Partial obedience is, in fact, disobedience. Disobedience cost Saul dearly . . . as it will us.

Lord, thank You for Your perfect Word. Teach me to trust and obey You fully even when I don’t understand everything or see the whole picture. Show me my disobedience or when my obedience is partial. Make me aware of the times I’m trying to obey You based on my own human reasoning rather than on Your exact instructions. In Jesus’ name, amen.