Sacrifice of Praise

A few years ago, my granddaughter Becky told me about a Bible study she was using from the book STRONGER by Angela Thomas. I picked it up a few days ago and began it again! Wow! So encouraging!

The theme of the book is that God is stronger than everything, but Angela Thomas also encourages us to draw up close to this Almighty God - the powerful one who created the universe.

The author lists many ways to draw near to the Lord, but I want to focus on and to expand only one thought - the “sacrifice of praise.”

            Hebrews 13:15:  Therefore by Him (Jesus) let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

How can I do this? How can the “sacrifice of praise” draw us closer to our Heavenly Father? I think there are at least four areas that will be affected: our minds, our hearts, our lips, and our actions. Charles Spurgeon calls this “a devout musing upon the subject of the Godhead” which draws forth praise from us.

Our minds - I believe this is where praise begins...focusing on God’s attributes. You can name many more but we acknowledge He is omnipotent, omnipresent, forgiving, loving, strong, ALWAYS watchful (as Joyce reminded us), long-suffering, holy, just............Wow! That is just the beginning. Think on these things. Consider...meditate...

Our hearts - Once we have determined in our minds who this Almighty God is and that we should praise Him every chance we can, then we can say with David in Psalm 57:7 - My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

Our lips - I believe our praise has to start in our minds. Then when I meditate on who my Heavenly Father is, my heart becomes full and I have to praise Him with my words...

Psalm 63:3 - Because Thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee.

And also Psalm 71:23 - My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You,
and my soul, which You have redeemed.

Back to our beginning verse in Hebrews...adding verse 16:

Therefore by Him (Jesus) let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

 Our Actions - (Verse 16) But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

If our praise only results in good thoughts and words, that is not enough.  Our actions should show others this Almighty Father and cause us “to do good and to share.” Make a list of people this week you want to touch with your words of praise, your goodness, and your sharing. Let’s do this all year long...not just at Thanksgiving time.

--Maylou Holladay