God in us – Day 19

Gratitude urges you to be good to others, but how do I give to God for everything he did for me through Jesus Christ? Listen to what our verse for the day teaches: bring sacrifices.

Continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise. With my mouth, I celebrate his name and praise him for his greatness, grace and involvement in my life, because I am in Christ. Using words from my mouth, I witness to others that he is the one and everlasting God, who loved people so much that he gave his Son to set them free.

A sacrifice implies that something should die for a specific purpose. I deem it necessary to often kill my own will, sluggishness, fears and pride so that he might receive an unspoiled, pure sacrifice from my lips. Then, the realisation: the core and acceptance of my sacrifice has its roots in Jesus’ sacrifice – his life! It is only by him, in him, with him and to him that I can bring an acceptable sacrifice of praise to God.

The second sacrifice that is acceptable to God is good deeds and sharing what we have with others – even if nobody else knows. Our thankfulness for the Lord’s grace and blessing in our lives should make us fall over our own feet to share with people, despite how much we have. The church in Macedonia, for instance, gave generously to others, despite their own extreme poverty. What was the fruit of their sharing and giving? It provided for others’ needs; it overflowed in many expressions of thanks and praise to God, and prayers were offered for those who rendered this service (2 Corinthians 9:12-14).