March 25

What is the single thing the Lord is most desirous of receiving from people who profess to love Him? Yes, He wants us to trust Him. Yes, He wants us to focus our lives around His truth. Yes, He longs for us to share our faith in Him with others so they, too, may come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

But what is the single most point of surrender that those who are born again, blood-bathed saints can offer up to the God and Savior who set them free from the ravages of sin by His unspeakable gift? What is the offering of incalculable value that we can lay at His feet?

According to His own Word, stated in Hebrews 13:15, that one thing is praise. It says, “Let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of our lips, glorifying His name.” Is our God so egocentric that He must have adulation heaped upon Him at all times? If that’s what we think, we have missed the point.

The God who sacrificed His only Son so we might be delivered from the ravages of sin is certainly not desirous of having our praise in order to aggrandize Himself—He is already lifted up! When we praise Him, we place ourselves in the position of abiding most closely with Him. In His presence is the fullness of all we need, and our praise frees His mighty hand to lavish us with His blessings!