Before looking at today’s devotional readings, I was thinking how often I write about the positive things God is doing and rarely describe the trials of life. Some of them are deep and difficult. Even now, family troubles have me sleepless and often in prayer.
Then I read this from Spurgeon. I have personalized it and added a line or two, but he says what I need to say. He begins with this verse,
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad. (Psalm 126:3)
Some Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more upon what they have gone through than what God has done for them. When asked for their impression of the Christian life, and they will describe their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts.
I can be like that. As I think about this response to life, I’ve decided it tends to draw attention to me. That is self-centered and ungodly. As Spurgeon says, if my soul is in a healthy state, I will joyously speak not about myself, but to the honor of my God. He brought me out of a sin-filled life and set my feet upon a rock. He has established my way, even put a new song in my mouth. I will praise Him. The Lord has done great things for me. How can I not be glad!
This is what comes from my heart when I spend these early morning hours in the Word and in prayer. Yes, there are trials, but God is merciful. He either delivers me out of them or gives grace and mercy that I might endure them.
Besides trials, I also have sins to contend with, and do so with sorrow. Yet I also have an all-sufficient Savior who overcomes my sin and delivers me from its dominion. Far better to point others to Him rather than me.
I cannot deny times of depression or humiliation either. However, my Savior has brought me safely through them, even to my profit. He truly does use all things for my good, developing a depth of character that I cannot claim. He somehow uses the tough times to reveal that Jesus is in me and that He supplies all that I need. Thanks to my Almighty Helper and Leader, I have been brought “out into a wealthy place.” Life is rich and full.
Our newspaper has a “venting” column, but I don’t want my life to be like that. In my humanness, I love to complain, yet God is teaching me to look at Him, not my problems. I notice now a few times where the deeper my troubles, the louder my thanks to God. As Spurgeon says, grief and sorrow cannot mar the melody of praise. As the psalmist says, “He has done great things for me, and I am glad.”
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What more can I say? This week has brought extremes of sorrow and joy, answered prayer and seeming reverses. Yet in all of this, You are God. You are in control and doing what I cannot see. I can hold Your hand and shout Hallelujah because no matter what is happening here, You remain the same. You love me and do great things.
When I opened today’s devotional reading and saw that I was still in Psalm 117, my first thought was Aren’t I done praising the Lord yet? and then felt a gentle boot to my backside. What a lousy, selfish attitude.
For me, praise doesn’t always flow easily. I realize that I’m not the only one, because the Bible calls praise a sacrifice in at least three places.
And they shall come from the cities of Judah and from the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin and from the lowland, from the mountains and from the South, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, bringing sacrifices of praise to the house of the Lord. (Jeremiah 17:26, italics mine)
Here, praise is listed with offerings from their income. It cost these people something to offer their lambs, goats, grain and even praise, partly due to the time and effort of making the trip to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. They could have offered praise anywhere, but in the Old Testament, God required them to come to the temple.
In the next passage, Jeremiah foretells of a glad day in the future. At that time, the Jewish people were held captive and their cities were desolate and void of life. However, he said one day there would be . . .
. . . the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: “Praise the Lord of hosts, For the Lord is good, For His mercy endures forever” — and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,’ says the Lord. (Jeremiah 33:11, italics mine)
It seems to me that after being released from their captivity and no doubt full of joy, praise would be easy. But as they returned to their cities, the praise they brought was called a sacrifice. Is that because the sinful human heart normally will not offer God our thanks, even when things go well? Sadly, sometimes this describes me.
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, italics mine)
In Hebrews, the sacrifice of praise is tied to thanksgiving, and both are tied to selflessly doing good and sharing with others. Praise is just as much an act of giving as emptying my wallet or using up the clock to help others rather than doing my own thing. While it should be easy, even spontaneous, I know from experience that it is not always that way.
Here is Psalm 117 in a modern version, one that adds an exuberant tone. It makes praise sound less like a sacrifice and more like a celebration.
Praise God, everybody! Applaud God, all people! His love has taken over our lives; God’s faithful ways are eternal. Hallelujah! (Psalm 117:1–2, The Message)
Praise is like anything else in that my feelings about it start with an attitude of the heart. I love my children so staying up with them when they were sick was an act of love, not a sacrifice and difficult to offer. As I write that, I’m ashamed. I love God, or think I do, but if praise seems more like giving up something than it does an act of joyful giving, then I need to repent and go to Him for a heart-change.
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