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. 1 Samuel 15:22 NLT

Every step we take in obedience moves us closer to the Lord. 

He is our reward. 

Many times we are looking for the incentive to obey. 

We are looking for what we can get in return. 

Blessings, more favor, more money, better health. 

And yes all these things are good and wonderful and needed. But we must be aligned, we must be in abiding. 

What does that look like? I think its good to go back to the beginning. 

What was the Lord’s original intention? Looking back at Eden, at the garden, you see that it was relationship. Walking with the Lord. It wasn’t even ministry. Even though that comes. 

It was relationship, it was God’s breath in us. 

And from there Adam could name the animals. 

From there The Lord met a need in Adam’s life that he didn’t know he needed and brought Eve. 

We want favor in every area of our lives but what will you do with that Favor? 

The favor is not the reward, the Lord is. 

Jesus is.

Devotion taken from Week 21 of The Cultivational Planner