Dinner With JesusSample

The idea of using burnt offerings or sacrifices as a part of worship may seem like an unfamiliar idea to the way we practice our faith. But in the ancient faith practices, this was normal, expected, and a sign of great devotion. Part of the sacrificial system involved taking some of a person’s prized possessions and dedicating them to God. That’s what makes Samuel’s statement so unexpected. He said the sacrifices weren’t that impressive to God. He said that obedience is more important to God.

So, what are your actions? Not your rituals, but your behavior? Are you living a life of obedience—of love and compassion, of mercy and generosity? Or are you going through the motions of a life of faithfulness, doing the religious practices, but not living a life that reflects God’s character? In other words, are you just going through the religious motions in worship? God wants more for you than that. He wants our whole lives to be an expression of worship. This is the worship God wants because this is the worship that reflects our actual hearts.