Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Psalm 100 Part II


A Psalm for Thanksgiving. Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.  For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100:1-5

This week of Thanksgiving we are looking at Psalm 100, a Thanksgiving Psalm.  In it are five Thanksgiving commands.  We have learned the first four commands and now we look at the last.

The fifth command is: "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever. His faithfulness continues through all generations."

In the Old Testament the temple symbolized the presence of God. So whenever the people came to the temple and entered the courtyards, they knew that they had come into the presence of God. Now that temple no longer exists. But oftentimes the place where we meet to worship God is called a "sanctuary."  God is everywhere, not just in the big room at church. You know that He is with you as you drive on the highway. He is with you when you work. He is with you as you care for your children. He is with you every moment of your life.

That is the source of our thanksgiving, isn't it?  But what if God began to treat us like we so often treat Him?  What if God met our needs to the same extent that we give Him our lives?  What if we never saw another flower bloom because we grumbled when God sent the rain?  What if God stopped loving and caring for us because we failed to love and care for others? What if God took away His message because we wouldn't listen to His messenger?

What if He wouldn't bless us today because we didn't thank Him yesterday? What if God answered our prayers the way we answer His call for service?  What if God decided to stop leading us tomorrow because we did not follow Him today?

All these “what ifs” are for naught.  The nature of our Heavenly Father is one of mercy, grace and forgiveness.  Even when I don’t thank Him the way I should, He still blesses me.  Even when I don’t follow like I should, He still leads. The rain will still fall when I grumble and the flowers will still bloom.   

All the more reason to be thankful!  Thank you Lord so much for your loving kindness, steadfast mercy and persistent chasing of my soul!  Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me… Beautiful words to a magnificent song.  His love never fails, He is jealous for me and you.  He stands at the door and knocks and waits and waits and waits.  Thank Him for that this Thanksgiving season.  Thank Him for all the little things in your life too like the sweet spring rain and blooming flowers.  This Thanksgiving, make it a point to enter His courts with thanksgiving and enter His gates with praise! 

We pray that this will be a meaningful Thanksgiving week for you and all your family. Take time to read the 100th Psalm again. And if you'll listen to those commands, your heart will overflow with thanksgiving to the Lord

Scripture to Claim:
O Lord, help us to be thankful that you do "not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities." Psalm 103:10

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