Give Thanks!
Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;[a]
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
5 For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
From the time we are toddlers, we are bombarded with advertisements saying that we are not complete or won’t be satisfied until we have a certain product. There is a mass consumeristic brainwashing going on that leaves us discontent and rather then being grateful for what we do have, we are always yearning for more, more, more.
It is more then a little ironic that after the holiday that is designated as a day to be thankful, we have a mass shopping day where we are fighting our way through retail shops in order to fill our shopping carts up with stuff for the next holiday. Or you can fill up a cyber cart on cyber shopping Monday. And it’s not that shopping is bad or shopping for family and friends gifts for Christmas is wrong.
It is more a question of what is going on in our souls. What is the main central thing that we are bowing too in our heart of hearts and what is the impact on how we see life?
Are we generally thankful and grateful for what God has given to us? Or are we discontent, entitled, always yearning for more? … never satisfied ….
What about all the bad things that happen in our lives? The grief, the pain, the heartbreak. What happens when we lose a job or don’t get the job we wanted? What about when a loved one or a friend passes away? What about if we get sick or develop a condition where we are constantly in physical pain?
How do we approach an attitude of thankfulness in such situations?
How do we develop a mindset of Thanksgiving in a dark, dark world? – is that even possible? I would say, yes, it is, BUT not apart from Christ and His transforming power…..
One of the most beautiful Psalms of thanksgiving is the 100th Psalm. With all my heart I believe we are a people & a nation that has truly been blessed by God. And of all those who “give thanks to Him & praise His name” we should be at the top!
In verses 3-5 of this powerful psalm, the psalmist shares some wonderful reasons to thank and worship God.
– He has made us. Not only is God our Creator, but He has also made us new creations in Christ and is continually transforming us into His likeness.
– We are His people. The Lord claims us as His own possession, and the Holy Spirit within us is His seal of ownership.
– We are the sheep of His pasture. As our shepherd, He is our provider, protector, and guide.
– The Lord is good. He works on our behalf, and we never have to doubt His benevolence toward us (Isaiah 64:4).
– His lovingkindness is everlasting. This refers to the Lord’s unending mercy, kindness, favor, and love toward us.
– His faithfulness endures to all generations.
In an ever-changing world, the Lord is our anchor,
and whatever He has promised, He will do.
Happy Thanksgiving to you All!
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