Honor, Obedience & Sacrifice

I got to thinking about the verse in 1 Samuel, about obedience being better than sacrifice. And while obedience can be a difficult path to walk, usually because it seems counter-intuitive, there is honor in true sacrifice. It's amazing the blessing that results when both obedience and true sacrifice come together in unison.

Where is the honor in true sacrifice? Well, the story of Cain & Able come to mind. God favored one over the other. And with good reason, as the their story tells us.

I don't know exactly how this fits.

I think sometimes we think we are making greater sacrifices in life than we truly are. I think it's possible we miss certain blessings because we don't follow in greater obedience to sacrifice the things which we feel we are being led or directed to give up. I wonder at times of all honor is lost in the sacrifice because we are not walking in obedience of any kind, but true defiance.

Is it possible the imbalance of these two dynamics creates incredible stress and frustration in our lives? I'd be surprised if it didn't.
Is it possible the conflict of these two decisions restrict or limit God's ability to move, direct and respond to our prayers and our faith? Quite possible.

I really hate preaching to myself, but here it is...

Make the hard, and honorable sacrifices.
Walk in the difficult places of obedience.
For who knows the nature and greatness of the blessings that await.
But God alone.

Pray this #deaconThursday, for those struggling with these elements of faith. Pray they would walk and live in complete obedience. Pray that their sacrifice would be found honorable before the Lord. May the following the prompting of the Holy Spirit and the instruction of the Lord in the decisions and matters of life that need clarity where there is confusion. Pray God would be bring order to the circumstances that are best described as chaos. Pray the blessings of heaven would be poured out, beyond the limits of the imagination.

For God is great.
And it's Him alone that we serve
Not because of what He gives us,
But because of what He has already done for us.

- PNC