Psalm 100:4-5(KJV)
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
The Presence of God is the greatest possession a man can have on earth. The psalmist was declaring that the correct way to begin worship is by first thanking God and choosing to be grateful. That is, thanksgiving and praise establish us in the Presence of the Lord. It is the password to God’s Presence and it ushers us into the rest that His Presence brings. In other words, giving thanks and praise gives us access to God and His Presence. And when we gain access to His Presence, we experience His Goodness and Faithfulness. However, we are locked out of God’s Presence if we refuse to use the password “Thank You”. It is all we need to gain access into His Gates and Courts.
One of the best things about thankfulness is that the more we choose it, the easier it gets. The more we profess gratitude, the more we notice things to be grateful for. That is, when the peace of Christ rules in our hearts, thankfulness overflows. Even in the darkest of times, we can praise God for His Love, Sovereignty, Faithfulness and Promise. Sitting down and taking our time to reflect on the goodness of this faithful God, will indeed make us come to the conclusion like the Psalmist who said in Psalms 116:12 “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?” Being truly thankful requires us to look beyond our current circumstances, whether blessings or struggles, and look to God, our true source of blessings. This is why David never held anything back when offering anything to God. Even when his wife accused him of dancing shamelessly in front of everyone, David made it very clear that nothing else mattered; not even his reputation when it concerns God. In 1923, Thomas O. Chisholm also wrote the hymn(Great is Thy faithfulness). In that hymn are the words “Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!” Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided— “Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!” As the smoke was still rising from the ashes of destruction, Jeremiah was still thankful to God for His love that never ceases, His mercy that is new every morning and His great faithfulness.
Beloved, make up your mind to always thank God in the beauty of holiness and you will see the move of His Hand in your life. Express your thanks to God for His love, mercy and great faithfulness toward you. Today, identify the things God has done in your life from the beginning of the year till now and thank Him with a heart of gratitude. Count your blessings and name them one by one before His Throne of Grace for He deserves your genuine joy-filled gratitude. Truly celebrate Him, giving Him sacrificial praise, honor, adoration and thanksgiving. Don’t hold anything back in your worship of this wonderful God for He has been very faithful. Remember, enter into God’s Presence by following Heaven’s protocol.
O LORD, there is none who can be compared to You, Your greatness is beyond imagination and Your love beyond my dreams, thank You for Your great love, mercy and faithfulness in Jesus’ Name.