Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

Ps. 50:14-15

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High and call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.

 

Ps. 50 begins with the Mighty One speaking and summoning the earth. He shines out of Zion with His perfection of beauty. He comes preceded by a devouring fire and encompassed with a mighty tempest. He calls His faithful ones, who made covenant with Him by sacrifice. The heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is the judge!

 

 God speaks to Israel identifying Himself as their God. It is not for their sacrifices that he rebukes them for every beast of the field, bird of the sky, and all that moves in the field is His. He has no need for anything because all is His. What He desires in a sacrifice is Thanksgiving. With this offering, they may perform their vows and He will deliver them from trouble and they will glorify Him. Sounds simple! Just a sacrifice of thanksgiving! But no, this is difficult because it is nothing that they can do to make themselves worthy in His eyes. He only want thanks for all He has done.

 

God makes it clear that the wicked have no place in the offerings or the statutes of the Lord. They hate the discipline of the Lord and cast His words behind them. How scary! These people are pleased with theft and adultery. They give their mouth free rein speaking deceit and slander. Now God rebukes them.

 

Finally, God says, Mark you then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart and there be none to deliver! The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifices glorifies me; the one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God! What a strong message with a simple solution! Offer to God the sacrifice of Thanksgiving. Come to grips with the fact that you can do nothing to earn favor with God, but instead offer the sacrifice of Thanksgiving, which is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Sure we say we are thankful, but does this spirit characterize our lives? Are we following His words to order our lives? Are we living in the power of the resurrected One?

 

Father,

Thank you for sending Jesus to save me and redeem me. He is my sacrifice of Thanksgiving. He is my life. Apart from Him, I am nothing. But in Him, I am Your child. Teach me how to order my life rightly according to Your words.

In His name,

Amen