The Sacrifice of Praise

Psalm 116: 17

17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.

Grandma and Grandpa pulled into the driveway of their daughter’s home.  Their grandson was shooting baskets with his best friend.  The six-year-old boy turned, and recognizing the car, came running toward them.  As they opened the door he leaped into the arms of his Grandpa.  Love exploded from his lips as he cried out, “O Grandpa, I’m so glad you are here!”  Grandpa’s heart melted with this display of unadulterated love.

Our Heavenly Father also is eager to receive our sacrifice of love and thanksgiving as well.  Unfortunately, we often do not come into His presence with thanksgiving in our hearts but rather with requests of entitlement on our mind.  How would Grandpa have felt if his six-year-old grandson had rushed up to him and immediately blurted out, “Grandpa!  What did you bring me?  Did you get me a new Bullet Blaster Gun, or a skateboard, or a Remote Control Tank?” 

Elizabeth Barrett  at the age of 15 became ill and suffered intense head and spinal pain the rest of her life.    In spite of her frail physical condition she met Robert Browning and fell deeply in love.  This was beautifully expressed in her poetry, particularly in “Sonnets From the Portuguese.”  One that is familiar to many is “How Do I Love Thee?”  Her first line is perhaps what you might best remember.  “How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.”  This expresses the sacrifice of praise that we should bring to our Lord.  “I love thee to the depth and breadth and height mMy soul can reach, when feeling out of sight for the ends of being and ideal grace. . .”

Dr. Gayle Woods

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