A Sacrifice of Praise - Emily Marszalek

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. Hebrews 13:15 NIV

When I arrive home from work, my dog Charlie always greets me with a full-body wag and a stuffed animal portrayed proudly in her mouth.

Whether her stuffed pig, blue dinosaur, or frayed flamingo, Charlie always presents a gracious offering to me—her way of expressing her love and joy in our reunion. She does it not because she expects to receive something in return, but out of unconditional love for her master.

Witnessing Charlie’s elation in presenting me with a stuffed animal sacrifice, I’ve often reflected on what I offer God each day. Often, my prayer time is spent focused solely on me and my needs and desires. While God invites us to present our needs—and while He delights in providing those needs—we must not forget to offer Him a gracious offering in return.

The writer of Hebrews instructs us to continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God. In Philippians, Paul advises us to not be anxious about anything but to present our requests to God with thanksgiving. In 1 Thessalonians, he tells us to rejoice always.

We can praise God for all He has already provided. We can thank Him for who He is. We can rejoice before Him, knowing that we have the privilege of serving the Almighty Creator of the heavens and the earth.

We serve an amazing God. As we present our requests, anxieties, stresses, needs, and fears to Him, let’s not forget to also offer Him a sacrifice of praise, gratitude, and joy. As we maintain a heart of gratitude toward God and a sacrifice of praise on our lips, we honor our Master.

What are you offering to God today? 

Tweetable: What types of sacrifices are you making for God? 

Emily Marszalek enjoys the simple pleasures in life with her two Goldendoodles—Charlie and Lucy—and her fiancé Nick in the Pacific Northwest. Her writing has appeared in publications including Angels on Earth, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Listen to your Dreams, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Blessings of Christmas, The Lutheran Digest, Refresh Bible Study Magazine, Christian Broadcasting Network, and Daily Inspired Life.

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Meandering Monday - A Different Priest - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Meandering Monday, where we take a trip back to an earlier post and enjoy it again.

So if the priesthood of Levi, on which the law was based, could have achieved the perfection God intended, why did God need to establish a different priesthood. Hebrews 7:11 NLT

Day after day, I stood in the same place doing the same thing.

Some of the people were the same, but many were new to the ceremony. They came from as close as a mile and as far as 100 miles. Those who traveled great distances often came with money instead of animals. The Temple court was always filled with merchants eager to exchange their foreign currency and sell them animals—all for exorbitant prices. These practices were helpful, but the merchants took every opportunity to make a little money in the process.

As each worshiper delivered their sacrifice, I—along with the other priests—performed the duty we so much despised. Blood flowed wildly, and the stench was almost overbearing. The abhorrent scenery of my work eventually lost its disgusting nature as I slit the throats of hundreds of animals each day. Prayers to God became nothing more than a ritual of repeating the same words as I assured the worshiper of God’s forgiveness. I had repeated the words so many times I no longer even thought about their meaning. When would it all end? I knew the prophecies of the scriptures by heart. God would send a Messiah. One who would provide the ultimate sacrifice. But when?

Then the news came. Messiah had come. The religious leaders opposed him, but the common people hounded his steps and marveled at his miracles. Could he be the one? I was almost ready to believe when the religious authorities had him crucified. As I watched him hang on the cross—bloodied, bruised, and in agony—I wondered how he could be the one. But as he breathed his last, a strange event materialized. The curtain in the temple that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies ripped from top to bottom. It finally dawned on me. Jesus was the better priest. His sacrifice actually took away sins, not just covered them as the animal sacrifices had. All that remained was for me to believe and accept this different priest.

What have you done with Jesus?

Prayer: Father, thank You for providing the ultimate and final sacrifice for our sins. 

Tweetable: What have you done with Jesus? 

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