John 10:27 (NIV)
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
1 Samuel 15:22 (NLT)
But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
The word listen has two meanings: Listen as in the ability to hear, and listen in the sense of obeying. To hear and to obey is the dependent relationship that the sheep have with their shepherd—one of recognition and obedience—being known by God and living in joyful obedience.
When we look at this passage in 1 Samuel 3, we see that Samuel was someone who at first didn’t know how to hear the Lord, but was willing to obey. But Eli was someone who knew how to hear, but was unwilling to obey. This brings up the issue of listening, which is not only about learning to hear the voice of the Lord, but to listen and obey the words of the Lord. This is what Samuel learns and later in his life tells king Saul—to obey is better than sacrifice. It is about the ears that can hear, and the heart that lives in obedience.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we pray for ears that can hear you, and hearts that will obey you fully. We ask for the outpouring of your Spirit and your salvation, so that others will also hear and obey. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Let’s worship to the song “There is nothing that our God can’t do” by Passion (click here).
-GK