Sacrifice of Praise

"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Hebrews 13:15-16

What is a sacrifice of praise? 

• worship
• prayer
• songs, hymns
• using the gifts God has given us to bless others and bring glory to Him

It is so easy to allow ourselves to get distracted by all that is going on in life and forget the One who draws our every breath, who daily provides for us, and who has redeemed us. We forget to praise Him for all He has done in our lives and continues to do. Not only is it easy to forget to thank God for the blessings He bestows, but it's even harder to remember to praise Him in the storms and trials we face. Those are a part of His sovereign plan too; deserving of our praise and thanksgiving to God. The way and frequency with which we praise God, or the way in which we neglect to acknowledge Him, is a reflection of our hearts. It is a sacrifice to take our minds off of us and see the benefit in certain circumstances.

"Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man....But those things when proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man." Matt 15:11,18

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:45

Are we praising God and bring glory to Him? If so, it will be evident in our speech and be on our tongues. Do we have a critical, ungrateful spirt? It too, will be manifest in the way we speak and the words that come from our hearts. 

My grandfather has been a very neat example of a heart that speaks gratitude. Granddad has Alzheimer's, and has for quiet a while. His vocabulary is very limited, and his memory is decreasing. When you try to talk to him or say something, often if he doesn't know the right words to say, he'll just say "yes, thank you." That may not seem like a big deal, but to me it reflects a heart that has been taught gratitude. Whether he really realizes what is going on or not, he has taught himself to be grateful and express his gratitude. He's so used to saying those words that even now as he forgets words, those two small words are what he remembers. THAT is a heart that says Thank You. THAT is an attitude of gratitude.