15th July 2026
Alex Buabeng-Korsah
TOPIC: OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN EXCUSES
THEME SCRIPTURE: "But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'" — 1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV)
PREPARATORY QUESTION
Is there an area of your life where you know God's will but have delayed obeying it?
God has never been impressed by religious activity that is disconnected from obedience. He is not looking for impressive words, public displays of spirituality, or good intentions. He desires hearts that respond immediately when He speaks.
King Saul learned this lesson the hard way. He partially obeyed God, then justified his disobedience with spiritual-sounding excuses. But partial obedience is still disobedience. God does not redefine truth because our excuses sound reasonable.
Jesus made the standard unmistakably clear: "If you love me, keep my commands" (John 14:15). Love for Christ is proven less by what we say and more by how we obey. Genuine faith always produces submission.
Scripture also urges, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (James 1:22). Knowledge without obedience leads to self-deception. The longer we resist what God has revealed, the easier it becomes to silence our conscience.
Delayed obedience often reveals divided loyalty. We want God's blessings without fully surrendering to His authority. Yet every command God gives is for our good and His glory. His instructions are not burdens designed to limit us; they are safeguards meant to lead us into life.
Ask yourself today: What has God already told me to do? You do not need another sign when you have already received His Word. Stop negotiating with His commands. Obey Him while your heart is still tender.
Key Takeaway
God values willing obedience more than impressive religious activity.
Obey Him promptly, completely, and wholeheartedly. You are well able, precious one, to live in genuine obedience to God.
The blessings of God follow the path of obedience, not the road of excuses.
Remain blessed.
FURTHER READING: 1 Samuel 15:22; John 14:15; James 1:22–25; Luke 11:28; Deuteronomy 28:1–2.
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD
1. What instruction from God have you been postponing?
2. Are you making excuses where God is calling for obedience?
3. What step of obedience can you take today to honor Christ?
PRAYER
Father, give me a heart that obeys without hesitation. Remove every excuse, every fear, and every desire that competes with Your will. Help me to respond to Your Word with humility and faith, trusting that Your commands are always for my good. Let my obedience be an expression of my love for You. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.