How would you like to be one of God’s rejects? To be the one whom He had chosen and then turned His back on?

Even when we think we’re doing well, what is good in our own eyes may not be good in God’s eyes.

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.

1 Samuel 15:22b (ESV)

Saul had just come back from raiding the Amalekites. God’s instruction had been to destroy them utterly. Leave nothing. Leave no one.

Samuel had heard from God that Saul missed the mark.

Saul thought it would be a good idea to keep the king along with the very best of the flocks. The intent was to sacrifice the best of the spoils.

God was not impressed.

God’s mind was made up. Saul would no longer have His stamp of approval as king. In fact, He said to Samuel,

I have provided for myself a king among his (Jesse’s) sons.

1 Samuel 16:1b (ESV)

Was Saul’s intent to sacrifice the best of the spoils a bad idea? He did what he thought was a good thing. But that good thing wasn’t the thing God had told him to do.

For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7b (ESV)

Saul’s heart was no longer one that longed to obey God. He had lifted himself up. Admittedly, it would be difficult not to get big-headed being Israel’s very first appointed and anointed king, but he lost his way and, as a result, lost his throne and he lost the very thing that mattered the most – God’s approval.

Obeying God’s word is far better than making the sacrifice He never asked for.

Daily Bible reading: 1 Samuel 15-16; Luke 14:25-35