ENTERING GOD’S PRESENCE WITH THANKSGIVING
Psalms 100:1-5, “1A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
The Bible has a lot to say about “giving thanks” A common phrase in the book of Psalms is Psalms 100:4, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” As we dive deeper into this idea of any entering His gates let us remember one truth: we can give thanks in any circumstance. No matter our season of life, there can always be a reason to gates and give thanks. How? I think Psalm 100:4 tells us exactly why we are always welcome to enter with praise.
The Meaning of “Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving” In this Psalm the word “enter” means to come, bring in, gather, or lead in. God is the one inviting us to enter His gates. These are His gates, God’s gates. The person who owns the gates gets to open them. From other passages we know God welcomes all to enter His gates. All may come and find salvation in Him!
Psalm 100:1 is a call for worship to every person, not just the Jewish people. We give thanks! This means to give praise or sing hymns of worship to God. Many times we want to come to God with our own agenda.
We want to speak to Him with the words of pleading or asking. Sometimes we enter His gates only with our demands. Instead, the psalmist is inviting us into a deeper intimacy and a more meaningful way to connect with God. With praise, we find our troubles tend to slide away. As we give thanks to God, our hearts are lifted in joy. It can be hard, but giving praise to God is the best way to knit our hearts closer to Him. Being as God is the Creator of all, He alone is deserving of being revered and worshipped.
What is truly our mentality toward worship? Do we enthusiastically and happily come into God’s presence, or would we say we are simply making a halfhearted effort, hesitantly going to church? This Psalm advises us to recall God’s reliability and goodness, and afterward to worship with praise and thanksgiving. Because God made humanity (we are his people) and shepherds us (the sheep of His pasture) (Psalm 100:3), we should come to Him with gratefulness and recognition (Psalm 100:1).
God is our Good Shepherd (John 10:11) and we are His flock (Ezekiel 34:30-31). He feeds His flock, He gathers us, carries us, and leads us (Isaiah 40:11). Great is the Lord and He is worthy of out praise (Psalm 145:3).
Question:
Why do we find it hard to give thanks in very difficult times?
Victory Tip:
With praise, we find our troubles slide away and we enter a deeper intimacy with God: We can give thanks in any circumstance. Give thanks to God always
Prayer:
My Father and my God, I come with a grateful and thankful heart. help me to always give thanks in Jesus name. Amen