Gratitude Devotional

 

Gratitude for God and the things He has provided should drive us to worship.

In BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) last week, we were looking at Ezra and the return of the Jews to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. They had been in captivity in Babylon for 70 years. In chapter 3 verse 3 it shows that they had reason to fear. 

Ezra 3:3 (ESV) They set the altar in its place, for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening.

In the years they were gone others had filled in their land. Those others were not happy these Jewish people were returning and reclaiming things. And yet the first thing the Jewish people did was build an altar and worship.

It immediately brought to mind David when he had disobeyed the Lord and recognized it then gone to build an altar at a place God commanded. It was to be built on land that belonged to someone else. Below is king David’s response to the man’s offer to give David the land, the animals for the offering, and even the wood.

2 Samuel 24:24 (ESV) But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Both David and the returning Jewish exiles of Ezra’s day were worshipping God in a way that cost them something. For those of Ezra’s day, not only were they laboring to build the altar, but upon arrival they did not stop to build fortifications to protect themselves. Instead they first worshipped God.

because of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made, but it should still ”cost” us something.

Worship in those days looked different than it does now. Our salvation has been fully paid through Christ sacrifice, and we no longer have to sacrifice in the manner of the Old Testament, our worship should still cost us something.

Our worship flows out of gratitude and thankfulness for all God has done and praise for His greatness. It should bring communion with Him.

Because of Christ sacrifice and his imparting of the Holy Spirit, now we are the temple of the Lord. We are able to worship anywhere at any time. But has worship become cheap for us because it is so easy?

We can worship through singing, time spent with God, through our finances, and through time spent serving in God‘s name. Yet sometimes we are just going through the motions. As much as it is important to actively worship, we need to ensure that our hearts and minds are involved in our worship.

As we draw near to Christmas and our lives are busy with the happenings of the season, consider how you can sacrificially worship God. Take time to center your heart on worshipping God through the activities. Maybe there are even ways we can turn things that have no spiritual significance into times that point to Christ. Shut out he noise and fully engage in worship of our Lord and savior. The creator of the universe who loves you dearly that He paid the highest price for you. 

All of Hebrews is a beautiful declaration of how Jesus reshaped how we sacrifice. Chapter 13 is especially meaningful in this discussion. If you have the time read the whole of chapter 13. 

Hebrews 13:10-15 (ESV) 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.