Hebrews 13:15 – “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”
Don’t we all love to praise God in church? Words of praise and thanksgiving just bubble up from our hearts, especially when God has answered a prayer, heard a desperate cry, or provided a miraculous way out. But we cannot consider such praise a sacrifice, can we? A sacrifice is something that is given up with a cost.
A sacrifice of praise is something we give out of a grateful heart, but not necessarily because things are going well in our lives. When our prayers remain unanswered, can we still praise God because we know He has heard our heart’s cry? When we feel we’re all alone and there’s no one who understands, do we open our lips with gratitude for our Heavenly Father and Friend who will never leave us nor forsake us?
God is pleased with a sacrifice of praise, and it will not be in vain. When we continually offer him praise by sacrificing our self-sufficiency, our issues and our egos, we will be blessed. Our lives need to be so saturated with God’s love that it is evident in the fruit of our lips – the words we use to praise God and talk to others.
Prayer: Father, I praise You for You are God, and there is none beside You. Even in the midst of my trials and suffering, I will thank You because You have never let down those who trust in You.
