Singing and Making Melody in Your Heart

This is in keeping with a verse in Eph. 5 "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." v. 19. (See also Col. 3:16.)
We see something of the character of present sacrifices of praise in the healed leper of Luke 17. He was sent to the temple and its priests where he might offer his gifts, but on being healed he got a glimpse of the glories of the Person who healed him. He promptly turned his back on all the earthly system of worship to return to the Lord Jesus where he "fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks." v. 16. He found in Him one who was greater than the temple, but it was only discerned by faith. The natural man turns instinctively to outward forms and ceremonies for his pattern of worship.
It is important, therefore, that in the midst of God's blessings in giving a man and his wife a home down here where our Lord had none, there should be the spirit of praise found therein. The Epistle of James reminds us that if we are afflicted we are to pray, but if we are happy then we are to sing psalms. In other words, we are to take all from God and all to God. In this way the blessings do not displace the Blesser in our thoughts, for we acknowledge Him and render thanks to Him. A Christian home where the Lord and His things are enjoyed will often resound with songs of praise.
May this be more characteristic of our homes, for these "spiritual sacrifices" are acceptable to God by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5). Were not the praise and thanksgiving of the healed leper precious and acceptable to the Lord Jesus? Surely they were! And we are assured by the Word of God that our words and songs of praise are acceptable to Him. What a privilege is ours, and how vastly superior to that of the Jews of old.