Jesus Walks—Are You coming? Jesus Is Greater Series #9Sample

The Sacrifice of Praise  

Thoughts on the Word

What does praise to God cost us? Is it a sacrifice?

For these people to worship God and follow Jesus, was a costly decision. For some believers, it costs them their lives. For many of us, there is very little cost. For some it is missed time at a beach or resort. For others it is a missed game of football, rugby. For still others, it is missed opportunities at work. 

Sometimes giving thanks is the most difficult sacrifice that we can make. Sickness, work pressure, family struggles… all conspire to make giving thanks a big sacrifice. Releasing praise – along with thanksgiving – often takes great courage and strength. Often courage and strength that we do not have. We must sacrifice our pride, our right to be heard, our need to have others see what we are going through, or the requirement to move on and let God deal with the problem in His time. 

Praise and thanksgiving start with the understanding that we do things differently than others. This earth, our home city, or our country is not home. We travel through this world but we are headed home – to heaven and the heavenly city there. That makes a big difference when we look at things. Things that happen in this world are left behind because we go home. 

Finally, there is the sacrifice of giving to others who have greater needs than we have. I am constantly amazed how easily and quickly we become attached to things that God gave us to share with others. It becomes a sacrifice to share. God knows that though. Often it is things that we really need as well – we trust that God gave them to us because He saw our need. Still, there are times when God wants us to sacrifice at these times also. When we willingly do that—He is pleased!

Prayer

Father, what am I to do so that You are pleased with me as I respond to Your call to sacrifice? It can be just being thankful today for every trial and challenge that I have faced. It can be the willingness to praise when I want to do something else. It is a willing heart to give when I really want to hold. Father, I saw a lady do that this week. She said “thank you” for a tough year. She praised Your name and blessed You for the good things that You did. God, I need to follow her example this day. Keep that testimony firmly in my heart today. In Jesus' name, Amen.