Praise God

"We cannot limit our praises strictly to moments of joy and success."

WHEN BILL JOHNSON lost his wife to cancer, he said he and his family held up their hands and worshipped. There are some praises that we can only give God during our lives on this earth. In heaven, we will praise Him, but here, in the midst of pain and loss, our praises shine brighter.

Hebrews 13:15 says we give a “sacrifice of praise.” By this, the writer referred to the Old Testament peace offerings. There is a sacrificial mentality to our giving of praise. How precious in God’s sight was the Johnson family’s worship. But the commentary tells us the peace offering sacrifice was actually thanksgiving. When people brought what is also called a friendship offering, they were making a voluntary offering of thanksgiving and friendship to God. All the other offerings under the Law were for sin. This one wasn’t.

“But in their peace-offerings, the offerer was regarded as one who stood in the relation of a friend with God, and the oblation was a sign of thankful acknowledgment for favors received. or they were connected with vows in order that further blessings might be obtained, or they were brought voluntarily as a means to continue themselves in the friendship and favor of God;” (Albert Barnes Commentary)

Hebrews 13:15 says our sacrifice of praise is “the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” Here I am reminded of what Paul said in Philippians. He told the church to “Be careful for nothing,” or not to be anxious, “but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Thanksgiving is part of our prayers. Praise and prayer go together. But where Israel had to bring their offering, or sacrifice, to the altar in the physical temple, we are now the temple of God in our flesh. Even when I’m anxious or worried, or especially when I’m anxious or worried, praise is part of the process that brings me peace (Philippians 4:7), and I can do that right where I’m at.

We cannot limit our praises strictly to moments of joy and success. Praise is our surrender to God, even when life is difficult. It is the first step in resisting the devil. The devil’s will for us is the anxiety we’re trying to get free of. But Jesus died to bring grace. He is our favor with God now. God’s favor is not because we have followed all the rules of the Law. We do not obtain our salvation through personal effort. But salvation is ours because God is good, because He is love, and who He is does not change if life looks like a garden pond or the troubled sea. For this reason, we praise Him.

A sacrifice under the Old Covenant required something of the giver, the gift itself, their time, and the right heart and mindset. God did not want sacrifice simply so they could say they’d given it, and He does not want praises because we sing well, because everyone else is singing, or because we love this song. Our praises should always be because we love Him. We are not worshiping an inanimate object that cannot see or hear. God is not a statue made with man’s hands. Instead, He knows our heart and our thoughts. He knows our sorrows and carried all our griefs on His cross.

Grief alters our view, and sorrow slows our footsteps. Praise and thanksgiving turn our eyes toward hope, and from hope comes new vision of better things. In hope, we find faith to keep going forward, not as by rote, mindless steps made in weariness, but in eager pursuit of the joy promised us when Jesus faced the cross. With His death before Him and the rejection of those He died for spitting in His face, He saw promise and leaned into what would be in replacement of what was. There is no better praise than this, that we would hold Him up in our view and disregard the turmoil in our heart and mind in favor of the heaven extended in His hands.

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4)

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

“Pour out all your worries, frustrations and burdens upon him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com