DCLM Higher Everyday 8 June 2026 — Obedience: The Christian’s Hallmark
Topic: Obedience: The Christian’s Hallmark
Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 15:1-9, 19-22 (KJV)
1Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.
3Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
4And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
5And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
6And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
7And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
8And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
9But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
19Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
20And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
22And 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.
KEY VERSE: 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” (1 Samuel 15:22).
Message
It was S. D. Gordon who pointed out that, “The best proof of your love for your Lord is obedience…nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.” Breaking this rule led to the downfall of the pioneer king of Israel, Saul. He was young, modest, ambitious, strong, intelligent, handsome, and initially feared the Lord. However, when the time came for him to demonstrate his obedience, he faltered. He obeyed the word of God to go and fight and utterly destroy the Amalekites. However, his obedience was partial because he spared the king’s life, and some sheep, oxen and goats, allegedly, for sacrifice to God. He was to learn later that, “to obey is better than sacrifice.”
Compare the obedience of this king with that of the King of kings, Jesus Christ. Christ, exemplified what Christian obedience should be. He declared, “…My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:34). Jesus took the form of man like you and I, and endured the painful Cross. Obedience comes at a cost but it has eternal rewards.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord Jesus, help me to totally obey your word at all times.
CHALLENGE
Divine instruction demands prompt obedience.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
