The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving Is Not The Burnt Rolls

 

I will offer to You

  the sacrifice of thanksgiving

and call on the name of the LORD.

           Psalm 116. 17

The sacrifice of thanksgiving

is thanking God

even before we know the outcome,

even on that hard rocky road,

and even if we don't understand.

The true sacrifice may be

   being faithful and 

doing what is right not in our eyes

            but in His.

Thanking Him in the midst

     of what is going on,

even if we can't quite yet

    thank Him for circumstances.

And that is when 

   calling on the LORD comes in.

When we are seeking Him,

  we see differently

               how to respond.

And that may really

          surprise us.

God resurrects.

God rewrites.

O LORD,

What are You forming

  in us through this?

Not perhaps to let go

or just put up with hard stuff,

      but let You change us.

Not telling You what to do,

justifying our actions,

grumbling and complaining,

but asking You

                to cover us.

We are grateful to You.

And we know that

   no sacrifice is ever ignored.