Staggering in

The hero in the movie comes staggering in, bleeding, battered and bruised and we applaud him because he has made it, he crossed the enemies fence back into allied territory. Truth be told that is how we often end up crossing the line through the gates of the tabernacle into Gods presence.

Psalm 100 v 4 reads, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” We follow this up in the popular chorus with, “I will say this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice for He has made me glad.” How did God make us glad? He sacrificed His Son for our sin.

How on earth do we enter Gods courts with praise, when we ourselves are battered and heart broken? Kirk Dearman's song gives us a clue.

We bring the sacrifice of praise, unto the house of the Lord.
We bring the sacrifice of praise, unto the house of the Lord.
And we offer up to You, the sacrifices of thanksgiving;
And we offer up to You, the sacrifices of joy.

When we come to God in the trials and turmoils of life: the agony of death; the sting of rejection; the pain of a broken marriage; a disease filled body; betrayal and deceit and we give up our right to anger, vengeance and and self righteousness, kneeling before God and weeping out our heartbreak, that is when our praise becomes sacrifice. When we rise and give thanks to God for His mercy and the good works He has already done our lives, that is true Praise!