Text - 2 Samuel 6:3-7
Obedience is better than Sacrifice. One of the best definitions of the word Obedience that I learnt whilst in the Sunday school is doing the right thing at the right time. Any other response is capitally wrong.
I grew up with that and I always caution myself whenever I go against this definition of obedience.
The Lord specifically gave the Israelites a rule commanding they don’t lay hands on the ark except for the Levites. Now, the ark of the Lord has been kept in the house of Abinadab and was being taken back to Jerusalem. In the process of taking the ark back to Jerusalem, the ark stumbled and Uzzah, a son to Abinadab tried to hold it back. But as soon as he laid his hand on it, God struck Him dead instantly. I could imagine that in Uzzah's defense, He was helping God. He could say He was protecting the ark from falling or something but who helps God?
God created us to be His children, do his biddings, obey His commands and serve Him faithfully. Helping Him is not part of our responsibilities here.
Disobedience to God is still disobedience. It doesn’t matter why, how or who. God always has a way things should be done. When we disobey in our human thoughts and actions, we go against His word!
Unfortunately in our generation, we consistently sin and see it as a common thing to do. We go ahead to do that which God has ordered us not to do. Funny as it could be, we don’t see it as sin rather we see it as a way of life. Such acts, we classify as “common sin” are still detestable before God. Just like Uzzah, we might think we are doing that for good but what’s the good in it if the Lord is not pleased at the end? A lot of us would have been dead if it were the days of the old.
God is very much delighted when we do exactly as He has commanded and He blesses us much more than requested.
We do as He says and He does much more than we said. When we obey his commands we get much more closer to Him than we can imagine. He expects us to always act according to what He says and its much better now that we have the Holy Spirit as a guide to that!