Psalms 116:17 (ESV Strong's)
I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the Lord.
Thanksgiving is a Sacrifice to the Lord
When we sacrifice something, we often think we are giving something up that “we” own and are giving “over” to God. But, in the above verse we read that “thanksgiving” is a sacrifice. What we learn is that everything is God’s and our giving it over to Him is a recognition of His ownership. Remember that the Israelites had to sacrifice the first born of every creature and the first born of their children were dedicated to God. The sacrifice of the first born of their animals was to be in place of their first born child. God decreed this because when He brought them out of Egypt He did so by killing the first born of the Egyptians, or anyone that did not put blood over and around their door posts. God has a claim on us, whether we recognize it or not.
We should rejoice that we can offer God anything. In this case we are to off Him our thanksgiving and call upon His name. That is a command. We ought to walk around thanking God for everything. He not only deserves it, but everyone is His. Even our thanksgiving.
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