SACRIFICES OF JOY

“And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer SACRIFICES of JOY in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord” – Psalm 27:6

Apart from God’s sovereign release of inspiration, rejoicing is by choice. You can choose to OFFER SACRIFICES of JOY:  “I will offer SACRIFICES of JOY in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord” (Psa.27:6b). To choose to praise God when everything in you points to the contrary means letting go of your own sense of justice and trusting in God’s Will for your life. But for the grace of God, we often want things “our way” and in our timing, and usually fail to keep our mouth shut when either of those is hindered. It takes the instrument of True Gratitude to keep on believing God for beauty to come out from the ashes of a painful past or present delay, and to work out by faith what you believe God is working in you.

Just like any other “sacrifice” God calls us to, what’s on the other side is better. When you choose joy, praise, and ultimately choose God, you’ll be overwhelmed with His Goodness and Faithfulness. God is so good, no matter what the devil, circumstances or situations may suggest. Learn to simply begin to thank Him for what you have, while trusting Him for what you’ll have. Praise the Lord for the seasons of cultivation, concentration, and preparation ahead of the days of manifestations! Carve out time and space in your life to sit before God and to meditate on His beauty: “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD” (v.4).

What makes JOY a SACRIFICE? We’ve heard of the ‘Sacrifice of Praise’: “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Heb.13:15). There is also the sacrifice of Thanksgiving (Lev.7:12-13; 22:29). Although we’re no longer required to bring the literal thanksgiving sacrifices to God described in the book of Leviticus, we are to offer spiritual sacrifices, by “taking words with us” and using our lips to speak His praise out loud to Him: “Take words with you, and return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips” (Hos.14:2). It appears therefore that the “Sacrifice of Joy” and “Sacrifice of Praise" are actually the New Testament versions of the Old Testament “Sacrifice of Thanksgiving.”

JOY is a Sacrifice in that we “give up” our rights to complain, murmur, and sulk; we forfeit the choice to be discouraged or to nourish negative feelings. Instead, we let God have His way by praising Him! By so doing, we take our eyes and hands off the problems and give Him room to work. However, we can bring our sacrifices with joy only through love for God and His work: “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom.5:5) As we give room to the Holy Spirit , this love will unfold, and we will gladly and joyfully offer sacrifices of Joy. When our lives with their situations and challenges seem out of control, choosing to praise and worship God will bring them under His control. He would give us His Peace as we place our thoughts on Him, and work out all things for our good: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom.8:28).

This is my Choice: I will offer Sacrifices of Joy in God’s Tabernacle. Every organ in the tabernacle of my body, soul, and spirit will rejoice in Him. I choose JOY instead of self-pity! I choose JOY instead of gloom and doom! Whatever may be happening to, in or around me today, I choose JOY!