Disobedience is rebellion and idolatry.

"Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15: 22).

Monday 20 January 2020, 2nd Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Fabian (+250), Pope and Martyr. St Fabian is famous in history for dividing Rome into seven diaconates for the effective distribution of aids to the poor. He was martyred under Emperor Decius.
Also honored today is St Sebastian (+286), martyr. Sebastian was an officer under Emperor Diocletian. He was martyred when he converted to Christianity.

Our lead Scripture today is: "Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams." It is the word that the Church and Christians need to hear today and every day. Why? Because disobedience is rebellion. It is idolatry to prefer your will to the will of God. Here is the attitude and character of our Savior Jesus Christ:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight in. Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, O God." (Hebrews 10: 6 - 7).

Anything short of obedience is displeasing to Abba Father. The "will of God" seems to have disappeared from the language of the Church. In former times, it is the bench mark for all decisions and discernment. If we want God to guide and bless our decisions and projects, the will of God must return to our thinking and decisions. If not, we must be prepared to be treated like King Saul in our first Reading today:
"Because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he, too, has rejected you as ruler.”

“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth, Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?” (Psalm 50: 16 - 17.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com