To Obey Is Better Than Individually Customized Worship

Sam was the deacon of a church somewhere in the US. He had been a part of that church all his life and had seen a number of changes over the years. One of these changes included an increase in the number of exhortations offered by the music minister for the individual audience members to offer up a sacrifice of praise, each in his own way. Also offered was a reminder that we are not to judge another because “God knows that person’s heart, which is more important to Him than that person’s manner or quality of worship. If your brother across the aisle prefers hymns over praise choruses, fine. If he likes to close his eyes and meditate, let him. If you feel like lifting your hands, go for it. You worship the Lord the way you want, and let him worship the way he wants.” But Sam couldn’t help but wonder if God Himself had not specified in His Word the manner or quality of worship that was acceptable and pleasing to Him.

Sam was also the father of a 6-year-old boy named Saul. One day at home, Sam said, “Saul, I have to run some errands in town. I’ll be back shortly. Please have your room cleaned, including your bed made, by the time I get back. Okay? I love you.” And off Sam went.

He returned a couple hours later to discover Saul’s room untouched, but there was a fairly impressive oil painting (on canvas) setting on a three-legged easel in the corner of the living room. Running in from the kitchen came Saul and saying, “Hey, Dad! Since you like pictures of Old Testament things, I painted this picture for you while you were gone.”

“But, Saul,” Sam said, “you did not clean your room as you were told.”

“But look, Dad.” Saul explained, “It’s a picture of a fat ram and some sticks being consumed in flame atop some blood-stained stones and smoke ascending into a deep blue sky. I sacrificed my time and energy and paint materials to paint this picture just for you. Certainly you can see that my intentions were good.”

“And Samuel said, ‘Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.’” – I Samuel 15:22