SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

Hebrews 13:15-16 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

What exactly is the sacrifice of praise?

I pulled up the dictionary so I could try to break it down:

Defn:
The dictionary notes it as an offering to God, or to a divine or supernatural figure.
Sacrifice - verb: action of surrendering or giving up something important or valued for the sake of other considerations, of something else regarded as more important or worthy (as in giving up principles, or giving up power)
Sacrifice - noun: (votive) offering, gift, oblation (the thing being given up or surrendered)

Praise, then is the gift, the offering I am presenting to my Lord. But the implication is that in doing so I am giving up something valued, letting go of something I would normally want to keep.

What do I let go of, what do I sacrifice when I spend time Praising God?
Time - yes, time for one; a surrendering of time I might otherwise spend... watching TV, reading a book, talking with someone about nothing in particular. Such activities can be mind-numbing, empty. They fill time where my mind could be occupied with thoughts about things of God.

Thoughts - are my thoughts of value to me? Do I consider them important? Well, when I think of how long I can rant away in my head about someone who’s annoyed me, or how I can worry a situation from every direction possible and make no progress, or how I can fantasize about something that isn’t likely to happen, or that wouldn’t be in God’s will... When I’m having such thoughts they really do seem important. But all of them are disobedient to the Word of God. Such thoughts are judgmental, critical, anxious, distressing, and ultimately unproductive.

Negativity - When I’m praising God I have to give up all those natural negative thoughts and feelings that my brain grabs onto so easily, so naturally.

Why is it that...

I can notice and think a critical thought about someone without any effort,
but I have to consciously make myself look for something positive?

I can, without a moment’s notice, plunge into anxious thoughts of what if.., how will i..., who’s going to... , how will the need be filled..., what are they thinking of me... .
But I have to consciously make myself put aside the worries and remember all that God has done for me in the past, reminding myself that He promises to be faithful and continue the good work that He’s begun in me. (Philippians 1:6).

Is this what Paul’s talking about in Ephesians 4:20-23?
That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds.

It seems he’s saying that the old self still exists, is being corrupted ongoing. He almost talks about it as if it’s an old, comfy coat that we have to keep taking off. Something happens and that coat automatically falls on our shoulders. We have to throw it off in accordance with the truth about Jesus, in the understanding that we can choose the attitude in our minds.

Why we can’t just get rid of it once and for all, I don’t know. But I’m here to say that it’s a fact. That coat exists and it’s always hovering, waiting to plop onto my shoulders at a moment’s notice. But do I have to wear it when it lands on me? Paul says no.

Sacrifice - I’m abandoning my comfy, cozy coat that fits so well, that I’m so used to. I’m replacing it with something that feels stiff, unnatural, abnormal... exceptional.

EXCEPTIONAL! Yes, that’s a better way to look at it. I’m turning away from the ordinary and seeking to grow exceptional thoughts in my mind. No wonder it’s hard. I’m not exceptional in any way.

Ah, yes. Not in any way but one. I have Jesus Christ inside me. Because of that I am made exceptional.

And so in honor of His Spirit,
I WILL make ongoing effort to take every thought captive.
I WILL sacrifice those ordinary, mediocre, useless and often detrimental thoughts.
I WILL replace them with praise and thanksgiving, with exceptional thoughts that will offer appropriate respect and admiration for the one Who died to save me.
I WILL sacrifice what my old self considers to be of worth so I can honor my new self, which is Christ in me.

And I guess it’s going to have to be an ongoing decision, one to be made hour by hour, day by day, for the rest of my God-given time in this life.

Difficult? Yes, sometimes it is. Worth it? For my Jesus, absolutely!