| Scripture repeatedly refer to praise as a sacrifice. But | | | | requires effort on our part, effort which we must be |
| it also refers to it as other, seemly contradictory | | | | prepared to give. At those times when we feel |
| things. For example, in a particularly important part of | | | | down or depressed and things are not going well for |
| the Bible we read: For here we do not have an | | | | us, the sacrifice involved is much greater, for we |
| enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is | | | | then usually have no natural inclination to praise God. |
| to come. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually | | | | Indeed, we might well feel just the opposite. But |
| offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips | | | | although the sacrifice is greater, so too are the |
| that confess his name. (Hebrews 13:14 - 15, NIV) The | | | | benefits when we make that effort of will to praise |
| future city of God should be constantly before us - | | | | God. Sometimes we make that effort alone, but at |
| because nothing else has any lasting importance! | | | | others we also need to praise God along with fellow |
| Hence there should always be a real eagerness to | | | | believers. That can sometimes impose an even |
| praise God. It is our privilege to do so, not a burden | | | | greater degree of sacrifice when things seem not to |
| to be undertaken as such. So praise is then seen as | | | | be going too well for us. Praise As Fruit The Hebrews |
| both the sign and expression of our love of God and | | | | scripture quoted above also asserts that praise is a |
| the evidence of what we hope for. It is because we | | | | fruit. Now, there is absolutely no contradiction |
| do not look to the things of this world, which cannot | | | | between seeing praise as a sacrifice and claiming it |
| endure, but because we look to what God has | | | | also to be a fruit. How does a farmer produce fruit? |
| provided for us in the future, that we can praise him | | | | He sacrifices land, manure and his phyiscal effort to |
| continually. Moreover, the writer of Hebrews tells us | | | | produce apples, pears, grapes or whatever instead of |
| that praise is actually a fruit. Can our praise then be a | | | | devoting it to some other use. For example, the |
| sacrifice? How can fruit be a sacrifice? Praise As | | | | shortage of private homes in the England is so acute |
| Sacrifice Notice that Scripture repeatedly refers to | | | | at this time that some farmers are being persuaded |
| praise as a sacrifice. Yet it is also related to love. But | | | | to sell their land for housing instead of using it to |
| real love has nothing to do with the typical Hollywood | | | | produce anything. When we, to use a common |
| portrayal. Real love is less about gooey feelings and | | | | phrase, live for the Lord, we sacrifice all manner of |
| much more to do with commitment. Now, almost by | | | | other things that we could have been involved in as |
| definition, commitment involves effort and the | | | | alternatives. That is confessing his name. The latter is |
| unavoidable concomitant of effort is sacrifice! Why? | | | | not the odd statement here and there that we are a |
| Because effort unavoidably means that something | | | | Christian: it is the living out of our lives, every day |
| else is given up in order to make the effort. | | | | and hour, as Christ desires us to live. In that way we |
| Whatever we could have been doing with our | | | | enter into a much deeper relationship with God, come |
| strength and will and time measures the sacrifice | | | | to appreciate and love him far more than otherwise. |
| involved in praising God. Not that alone, but also a | | | | So praise is found naturally on our lips as a fruit of |
| much greater degree of effort when we are feeling | | | | that kind of living. This is why sacrifice and fruit |
| down, sad or depressed. To praise God is one thing, | | | | amount to an indissoluble unity in the life of a |
| but to praise God in, say, the situation of Job | | | | Christian. |
| involves quite a different degree of sacrifice. It | | | | |