Obedience vs. Sacrifice
Hi
Recently I have been pondering...
...what is more important: obedience or sacrifice?
I know what most of you will be thinking - that 'To obey is better than sacrifice' (1 Sam 15 v 22) however sometimes I am not sure if we really act this out. I regularly hear worshippers talking about worship as out highest calling however these verses suggest that first and foremost comes obedience. This is what the Lord requires.
I have been thinking about this recently because I have seen a number of relationships get damaged amongst people I know. People who are friends of God, followers of Christ and part of the family...yet things have been said and done that have caused anger and pain.
Whilst this happens, and might be inevitable, it is not Gods plan for us. God never intended us to be dysfunctional. He didn't intend failure in relationships. He intended us to be in relationships of love and safety. Through out scripture God shares advice and guidance about how we are to treat each other and how we are to live in community. This requires a trust in the Father and courage to love. It avoids operating out of a place of fear. It demands risk, vulnerability and sacrifice. However, most of all it probably requires obedience.
If we are to love and protect each other sucessfully we need to obey what God tells us through scripture about how we should treat each other. Regardless of our circumstance or current state.
I am not perfect. Our band isn't perfect. But we prioritise the relationships over the songs. We want to be obedient to God in how we treat each other over and above how we lead God's people in worship. The sacrifice is pleasing to God but obedience is a priority.
Johnny
Recently I have been pondering...
...what is more important: obedience or sacrifice?
I know what most of you will be thinking - that 'To obey is better than sacrifice' (1 Sam 15 v 22) however sometimes I am not sure if we really act this out. I regularly hear worshippers talking about worship as out highest calling however these verses suggest that first and foremost comes obedience. This is what the Lord requires.
I have been thinking about this recently because I have seen a number of relationships get damaged amongst people I know. People who are friends of God, followers of Christ and part of the family...yet things have been said and done that have caused anger and pain.
Whilst this happens, and might be inevitable, it is not Gods plan for us. God never intended us to be dysfunctional. He didn't intend failure in relationships. He intended us to be in relationships of love and safety. Through out scripture God shares advice and guidance about how we are to treat each other and how we are to live in community. This requires a trust in the Father and courage to love. It avoids operating out of a place of fear. It demands risk, vulnerability and sacrifice. However, most of all it probably requires obedience.
If we are to love and protect each other sucessfully we need to obey what God tells us through scripture about how we should treat each other. Regardless of our circumstance or current state.
I am not perfect. Our band isn't perfect. But we prioritise the relationships over the songs. We want to be obedient to God in how we treat each other over and above how we lead God's people in worship. The sacrifice is pleasing to God but obedience is a priority.
Johnny
posted by Johnny Parks at 7:40:00 p.m.
2 Comments:
When I read this I was immediately reminded of the story of Naomi and Ruth (2 really really godly women). The book of Ruth is a beautiful story of relationship, love, obedience, disobedience and sacrifice amongst other themes. Everytime I read this story I am so moved by Ruth's committment to Naomi, the sacrifice she makes to leave Moab, where she was born and raised, in order to obey God and go to Bethlehem. As soon as she recognised who God was she obediently followed Him.
More than this, I am convinced that we have become fearful of committing relationally to each other and to making ourselves vulnerable. Ruth's statement to Naomi reads: "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. I will go wherever you go and live whereever you live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. I will die where you die and will be buried there. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!"
Ruth prioritised relationship with Naomi and relationship with God over everything she had up to that point and despite of the incredible loss and pain she had suffered.
Let's not be afraid to commit our lives to walking in real relationship with people. Let's not be afraid but let's be obedient.
A word in season Jonny. I hear some people are putting ambition over relationships and that aint god and ain't good!:0(
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