Opening Our Ears To God

When it falls on us to rally our family to new rhythms it feels clumsy and awkward. It is anxiety-inducing. Lonely.

We hear it said this season is a season of “sacrifice.”  This is hardly helpful.

Here is what we can do: When we find ourselves feeling called to leadership in our homes – requiring a sense of “sacrifice” – we should immediately be reminded: obedience is greater than sacrifice.  (from 1 Samuel 15)

Why is this helpful?

Because “obedience” is not what you think it is.

The above citation in full:

Does the LORD delight in […] sacrifices as much as
in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice,
and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.
– 1 Samuel 15:22b

Obedience better than sacrifice.
Attentiveness better than the fat of rams.

These are parallel comparisons.

It would be fair to reconstruct the comparison like this:

Attentiveness is better than sacrifice.

Attentiveness better than sacrifice?

We find this principle elsewhere in Scripture. Here is an example from the Psalms:

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
but my ears You have opened.
– Psalm 40:6a

Attentiveness and obedience seem to be interchangeable concepts in these texts.

What God wants from your spiritual leadership at home is not a conformity to liturgical duty or spiritual sacrifice.

He wants to be a member of your family – honored, spoken to and listened to. Attended to. Can you create a space for that in your home?

Leading your family in spiritual rhythms is an invitation to something divinely intimate and beautiful – not a divine demand.

It may feel clumsy, awkward, and lonely as you rally your tribe to new ways of doing things. But this is only because these are new dance steps. They become more fluid as our muscle memory grows – by practice we learn to "attend" with more natural movements.

To consider: What does your verbal language and body language convey to your tribe when you ask them to attend to God with you?

Remind them: We don’t have to do this. We do this to invite God, and participate with Him, as a member of our family.