Listen?

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.  Ephesians 5:1


But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.  1 Samuel 15:22


I didn't expect to be on here this morning.  I'm not really a die-hard blogger . . .   :)  But I had a few quiet moments this morning.  And as I sat with my coffee I guess I just offered up that prayer that I often do.  "Lord, speak to me."  Sometimes he does right away.  Other times, he waits.  (I actually thought I had a couple inklings of what he might talk to me about this morning.  A couple things I thought maybe he was going to wrap up.  lol).  But I didn't open my Bible.  Thank goodness I was quiet for a minute.   - - - A song came on.  It spoke of obedience being better than sacrifice.  I looked up a couple verses.  There was a light touch on my shoulders.  This is definitely what He had for me this morning.  


How often, (I'm ashamed to admit) have I rushed off to church with something to offer as a "sacrifice" when what he really wanted was for me to "go near to listen?"  What have I been so intent on contributing while all the while I was disobeying as much in what I did not do as anything I could "do"?  


I don't really have much more.  Nothing too "well put" or insightful.  But that may be the beauty of it.  Even in this, there's not much I can contribute.  He said it in His Word.  I didn't.  "to obey is better than sacrifice."  "Go to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice."  BTW, I'm not advocating ditching nursery duty, or anything this morning!  :)  Just getting some perspective this morning from the only name I want my heart to sing.  Jesus.