Wed, 16-Apr-2014 - Worship Through Praise & Thanksgiving

There are many verses in the Bible that are my favorite, but among the entire chapter of Psalm 100 that focuses on worshiping God through Thanksgiving and Praise:

1 

Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth.

2 

Serve the Lord with gladness;

come before Him with joyful songs.

3 

Acknowledge that Yahweh is God.

He made us, and we are His[a] —

His people, the sheep of His pasture.

4 

Enter His gates with thanksgiving

and His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

5 

For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal;

His faithfulness endures through all generations.

Verse 4 above, which is bolded states we enter into the Lord's gates, that means into His territory when we have a heart of gratitude FIRST.  And with that, we can step into His courts by praising Him.

When I think of being in God's territory, I also think of a level of safety, spiritual safety.  Back in Biblical days, and even afterwards, huge fortresses were built that surrounded cities from being invaded by other peoples.  They had gates and that was the only way to enter the city.  Within the walls of the fortified city, you are safe.  

So, with that in mind, to continually have a heart of gratitude invites the presence of the all mighty living God into our day.  God isn't going to force Himself on us.  He continually desires a relationship with every person and each relationship is personal and individual to the person.

In I Thessalonians 5:18, I am reminded to give thanks for everything.  In my finite mind, that's a challenge to comprehend.  Certainly bad things happen and they've happened to me.  How is a person supposed to give thanks when someone was murdered or raped or been victimized in some manner?  My understanding of that verse means not necessarily that we're supposed to be thankful that a murder or whatever was committed, but that despite the awful thing that happened, that God is still working and that good can come out of horrific atrocities or bad events.  

Sometimes these things bring about needed change, or for healing to occur, or for creativity and ingenuity to be birthed.  It does sound a bit weird and though the ruler of this world, the devil, can wreak havoc in the lives of people, God still brings hope to a lost and dying world.  

Just because we may have a heart of gratitude and praise Him continually does not preclude that person from bad things happening, but through Christ's strength and power, His love, we can rise above those things and grow stronger to live a more powerful life in Jesus, because I have found, in the end, nothing satisfies like my Lord and Savior.

I notice when I put my eyes on my circumstances or the things going on and cease to have a heart of gratitude, and not praising the Lord (these are forms of worship), that my soul is not satisfied.  There is no peace.  

So, today, enter into God's gates with Thanksgiving and stay in His courts with praising Him.