The Cost of a True Song

Have you ever tried to sing when you wanted to cry? The writer of Hebrews calls us to a new kind of sacrifice. The temple is gone, the animal offerings have ceased in Christ. Our new altar is our own life, and our sacrifice is praise. Notice it is offered 'continually'. This is not just for when things are going well. It is the 'fruit of lips,' a tangible confession that acknowledges who God is, regardless of our present situation. This is a deliberate act, offered through Jesus, that costs us our pride and our sorrow.

Your praise is not dependent on your circumstances. God is not asking you to feel happy before you worship Him. He is inviting you to offer a sacrifice. This kind of praise costs something. It means choosing to declare God’s goodness when your heart is heavy. One early pastor described this as the 'rational incense of the soul,' a deliberate offering of the will. God treasures this praise. It proves that your faith is anchored in His unchanging character, not your shifting emotions. What truth about Him can you hold onto and declare today?

Praise is a choice you make before it is a feeling you have. Choose to offer it today.

Father, my feelings often fail me, but You never do. Help me to offer you the sacrifice of praise, even with a heavy heart. May the words from my lips honor Your name today. Amen.

For the first Christians, without a temple, their 'sacrifice' became spiritual. Their gatherings for worship and the words they spoke were seen as a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Hosea 14:2).