“Give ear to my words, O Lord;
consider my groaning.
Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch…
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in the fear of you.” Psalm 5:1-3,7
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1
David’s songs are melodic accounts of his deep communion with the Lord. Every word chosen contributes to a lovely descriptor of thought, passion, and intimacy. The psalms beckon us to yearn, cry out, bow, surrender, and praise. His carefully prepared psalms offered to God reflect the thoughtful sacrifices his songs inspire.
Prepare: To make ready beforehand for a specific purpose, as for an event or occasion; To put together or make by combining various elements or ingredients
We too can set mind, heart, and hand to prepare and offer sacrifice. True sacrifice does not just occur, and cannot be presented casually or impetuously. It takes honest consideration of Savior and self.
Preparation of mindset and will is inspired by consideration of God’s greatest sacrifice of His only Son for us, an offering far beyond what we could ever offer back. Meditating on the beloved unique and perfect Son sent from glory to live and die and live again for us fills the soul with gratitude. If God the Father could give so much for me, how can I not give myself back to Him?
Gazing and wondering at the beauty of the world He has made compared to the repulsiveness and horror of my sin also elicits holy desire. In light of His gifts, I want to give up what I think and say and do to distort or ruin them- the sordid inclinations of my heart that stain the purity of love and kindness, the greed that warps contentment, the ugly words that mar and sting, the impatience and anger that disrupt His peace. Are we taking time and attention to make ready our offerings?
What in body and practice is He calling me to surrender? How can I better prepare to give sacrifice of praise at the start of each day? How can I live more wholly for His sake and glory?
“When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
save in the death of Christ, my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them through his blood.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were a present far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.” ~Isaac Watts (1707)
Worthy Lord, keep me mindful to offer You daily the honor and praise You deserve.
As the rain and snow 