Enter With The Password: “Thank You”

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4, NIV)

As small children, most of us learned to say “Please and Thank You” when we were growing up.

“Mommy, May I please have some …?”

Or, when we were given something, our mother would ask, “What do you say?” And the reply was, “Thank you.”

The Cambridge Dictionary says these words of expression are “used to tell someone that you are grateful because they have given you something or done something for you.”

When you think about it, God has definitely given to us and done things for us.

Each day that we open our eyes, He gives us life.

I can even remember, growing up, hearing the deacons and mothers of the church say, “He’s given me a reasonable portion of health and strength,” and following the words with praise.

He gives provision every time we sit down at a table to eat.

When we gather with loved ones and friends, He gives us family.

And the list could go on and on.

The Psalmist in our passage for today realized that because of what God had done for him outside the temple, he would enter with gratitude and praise.

And so, it is with us. As God blesses us from day to day with favor and grace when we enter into His courts and gates, we should have words of praise in our mouths.

However, not only should we offer up praise in the house of God, but David says, in Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. This statement lets us know that our expressions of thanksgiving are not limited to one specific place. But wherever we are and wherever we go, we can always give God praise.

If the truth be told, praise is an expectation.

As we approach this Thanksgiving season, take a moment to think and thank. Consider all the Father has done for you and thank Him for His goodness.

Join me next week for Coffee on The Couch.