freewill sacrifice

With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;

I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.

Psalm 54:6

Where does my praise come from? Does it arise from my own free choice, welling up from a thankful heart, willing to give up my sacrifice to the Lord? Do I offer praise that costs me something… an offering of sacrifice? I think all too often I am disengaged… with the assembly reading words on a screen, humming a familiar tune, just going through liturgical motions and calling it worship. Lord, help me to sacrifice in praise to You. Help me get up early and stay up late! Help me give up my time, my thoughts, my personal treasures and to place them on an altar of joyous praise to You, my Savior, my King, and my God!

Why would such a sacrifice be worth my efforts? It is because by Your very nature… by Your very name, O Lord, YOU ARE GOOD! I believe this. I have trusted Your good name when everything around me felt awful and life betrayed my trust. I have believed You are good when everything in life screamed to me that all was bad. I found You to be my portion when all else was empty. You kept me focused when everything else was shrouded in a dense fog of uncertainty and grief. You were good then. You are good now. Your name, my God, is good and I will praise You!

So today, by choice, with a grateful soul, I offer up praise. Now, in an early morning when my body craved sleep, instead I give You this freewill offering of my praise. It seems small, but You are magnified in it. I know that Your name, O Lord, is good… it is excellent… it is power… You are my praise… Mighty God! Healer! Sustainer! Joygiver! Anxiety-slayer! I am for Your praise! You are for my good! I give thanks to Your name, O Lord!