Bill was having a week that made for a bad country western song – his car died, his basement flooded, and he had a ream of paperwork that seemed to be written in Greek. As he sat there simmering, he remembered Hebrews 13:15, and he was convicted to “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God.” Looking at his soggy basement carpet, he forced out, “Lord, I praise You that I… uh… have a floor… and water… even if they’re currently joined together in the wrong way.” Thinking of his broken car, with a little more conviction and some humor he said, “I thank You that… it looks good as a driveway decoration? Thank you that I’m getting extra cardio work in due to walking or riding my bike everywhere.” By the time he got to his paperwork, his praise was more sincere. Through this he discovered a valuable truth – by purposefully praising God continually, even in the midst of a bad country western song, he was communing with and trusting in the Vine instead of spiraling into the “pit of despair” (think “The Princess Bride”) and the “woe is me” life of grumbling. Talking to a friend about this later, he said, “It’s hard to stay mad at the Vine when you’re thanking Him for the dirt.”

Ever been there? It’s easy, and it hardly feels like a sacrifice, to offer up continual praise to the Lord when all is going well. But when our life makes for a bad country western song, “sacrifice” hardly describes the effort it takes to find reasons to praise the Lord continually. The “tension” of this reality is an integral part of what it means to abide in Christ.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us that He is the Vine and we are the branches. If we stay connected to Him – if we “abide” – fruit simply happens as the natural outflow of our connection to Him. Hebrews 13:15 adds to this thought by speaking of the “fruit of lips” that “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,” which speaks to the reality that sometimes the “fruit” of our life (and lips) doesn’t always come during times of “plenty.” Sometimes, we must choose to praise Him in the midst of the “dearth” that life can bring.

Looking closer at this verse, we find insights to help us bear the beautiful fruit of praise continually to the Lord , and grow in hwo to abide in Him:

• It’s “Through Him”
This verse starts with “Through Him.” Abiding in Christ isn’t about trying harder to be holy; it’s about staying close to the Source. I have never seen a branch ever straining to produce grapes; it simply remains attached to the vine and, by doing so, it receives all it needs to naturally produce the fruit it is designed to. Man’s natural gratitude is shallow – we are thankful when things go well for us but we take on the attitude of one of the seven dwarfs – specifically, Grumpy – when things don’t. When we are “in Christ,” though, our ability to praise is not controlled by our circumstances or feelings, but, rather, it is all about Who He is!

• It’s “Sacrifice”
We often think of praise in the vein of an upbeat “emotional response,” but Hebrews calls it a “sacrifice.” Abiding in Christ means that even when our heart is burdened, we remain attached to the Vine, praising Him within a season that feels dry. Instead of giving in and being a victim of circumstance, we offer up a “sacrifice of praise” as our “fruit of lips” in defiance of our circumstances. We simply say, “Praise the Lord… we may have more bills than money, our bodies may hurt and we may be tired, we may have no one to rely on, BUT we still have You, we are still in You, and You are still, and always will be, good!” Listen – sometimes, prayers like that are all we can conjure up, but at those times it is the most honest fruit we can produce. It’s a “sacrifice of praise” that costs us something, and it carries a weight of glory that “easy” praise never could.

• It’s “Continually”
This is “where the rubber meets the road.” If abiding in Christ is where we need to be to experience a true, joy-filled life, then praise is the needed “breath” of that life. Here’s a “deep” truth to grasp – we don’t just physically breathe on Sundays; we also breathe when a person cuts us off in traffic, when we’re doing mundane chores like washing dishes, when we’re having to deal with “that” difficult person, and when everything is not as we wished it would be. And, it should be the same when it comes to praise!

Also, to abide in Christ means realizing that to “acknowledge His name” is more than just a trite religious phrase; in actuality, it’s a reality check. To acknowledge His name is to remember He is in charge, even within the most trying of situations; and, it embraces the fact that He is right in the midst of everything occurring in our lives. That is why we can say “Praise the Lord!” no matter what is going on.

This “fruit of lips” is the evidence of a branch abiding in the Vine, knowing it is held, nourished, and loved by Him. Sometimes, breathing out a whispered “Thank You” is all we can do in the storm, but as long as “It’s Through Him,” “It’s Sacrifice,” and “It’s Continually,” it is the most beautiful praise God can hear.

Join me today, as I remind myself, moment to moment, it is not about “performing” for God. It’s about me focusing on remaining in the Vine – abiding in Him – and letting Him work in and through me, producing a life steeped in the continual sacrifice of praise that only comes from my earnest connection to Him. Selah…