Take Courage

Offering the Sacrifice of Praise

Sometimes I like to imagine myself having a great voice. You know, one of those voices that just booms. One of those voices that just sounds good. When I sing I have to imagine I have one of the those voices because I don’t. I have one of those voices that can change key in the middle of a song and I couldn’t tell you what key we started in. But you see I like to sing and praise the Lord who saved me.

I’m not usually too shy so I will sing out when I’m in church. I know what it is like to make a joyful noise to the Lord. I also know what it is to sing while I’m alone worshipping God. Which got me thinking about songs we usually only sing around Easter. These songs could be sung any day, but usually they are reserved for special days.

One of my favorite Scriptures that helps me sing praises to God even when I don’t feel like it is Psalm 50:23. He who sacrifices thank offerings honors Me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God. (NIV). I don’t pretend to have a great singing voice, but I can sing praises to the One who redeemed me. I know He does not get tired of hearing me make a joyful noise to Him.

Sometimes when it is difficult for us to sing praises to Him is when we should make ourselves sing. Somehow, the sacrifice of my praise honors the Lord who redeemed me. Somehow it prepares the way for the salvation of God. I don’t pretend to have the greatest singing voice. That doesn’t matter to God. More importantly, I don’t have to pretend that I am redeemed and my name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, I am assured of that truth.

I can gladly offer the sacrifice of praise any day including Easter Sunday. There are a lot of good Easter songs, so I’ll share five with you that I am glad were written. I look forward to singing them and I hope you do too.

1. Man of Sorrows by Philip Bliss
2. Christ Arose by Robert Lowry
3. The Easter Song by Keith Green
4. He’s Alive by Don Francisco
5. Rejoice, the Lord is King by Charles Wesley

Christ Arose

By Robert Lowry

1.      Low in the grave He lay – Jesus my Savior! Waiting the coming day – Jesus, my Lord!

(chorus) Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes; He arose a victor from the dark domain, And He live forever with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

2.      Vainly they watch His bed – Jesus, my Savior! Vainly they seal the dead – Jesus, my Lord!

(chorus)

3.      Death cannot keep his prey – Jesus, my Savior! He tore the bars away – Jesus, my Lord!

(chorus)

Go ahead, sing Christ Arose, offer the sacrifice of praise. You’ll be glad you did. Jesus has triumphed over death and the devil. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us who believe. Hallelujah! I’ll say it again; the power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us who believe! (18)I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, (19)and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, (20)which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, (Ephesians 1:18-20 NIV).

Give praise a chance,

Bill

Romans 15:13