Feb 18 2009
Sacrifice — in the Positive Sense!
To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
(from Ps 116)
When God asks for a sacrifice, we most likely think of something difficult, something we must give up, or something that will cause us a feeling of loss. We see sacrifice as negative.
But today’s scripture reading talks about a “sacrifice of praise”. How beautiful! How positive! What an opportunity!
How does this praise become a sacrifice. For a moment or an hour or even a day, we step outside ourselves. We remove ourselves from our selfishness and we give all our attention to the Lord God. In giving Him this attention we focus on His goodness. We praise Him for goodness. I praise Him for His generosity, for His kindness, for His everlasting love.
An then the lines begin to blur and we realize that we praise Him because He is Love, He is All Goodness. Can we praise God without also thanking Him? No, so we thank him for his gifts and goodness to us.
To You Lord, I offer this time, these words, this work — as my sacrifice of Praise. I also praise you Lord for all the generous gifts you have given me, for all your kindness and care. I see now, Lord that your sacrifice for us, was also a sacrifice of praise to God the Father, and that you have done this willingly, and that your Sacrifice on the cross is Positive. It fills each of your people with the joy of salvation and with the desire to offer You a sacrifice of praise!
