It hurts my heart when I look at my day and see I fell into the trap of neglecting the gratitude and praise due God and rushed right to the doubt, discouragement, criticism, fault finding, whining and virtually thumb sucking in a corner because my expectations aren’t being met… forgetting that Jesus suffered more than I can comprehend, faced far more challenges that needed creative problem solving than I could ever imagine, so that I could have a relationship with Abba/ Father.  

If I thanked Him and praised Him as much as I grumbled about what isn’t right in this world just think what a testimony I would have about our all wise, and in control Creator / God/ Father/ Redeemer. 

The world already knows what sorry shape things are in, how awful human beings can be, and that disaster lurks around every corner.  They need hope, rest, peace, joy.  I have access to all of that and so much more.  Ps 100 gives the guidelines for how to plug into what God has for me to minister His grace and goodness to others.  I don’t need help finding what’s wrong in this world.  Everyone needs help every day finding and applying the principles and tools God has provided in His Word to arrive at the destination He has planned.

Psa 100:1  A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 

Is my noise “Joyful”???  What is a joyful noise? 

Psa 100:2  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 

Am I serving with gladness:?  How does glad serving look?  Am I singing before my Creator/ God/ Abba/ Father?  And what exactly am I singing?

Psa 100:3  Know 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. 

Does my knowledge of the goodness of God reach the depth of my soul?  Do I remember who created me? Do I acknowledge that I am not self made, self taught, skilled and full of abilities because I worked hard to make it so? Do I communicate gratitude for my adoption into His family, calling me by His name? Rather those are things God has given that I may serve Him in the ways He created for me to do.  Am I thankful for the grace He gives day by day, to accomplish what He wills for me to do by the strength He gives to do it? And does God’s goodness translate into how I live every day?  Does He get the credit, do I make known Who is in control? Do I walk like sheep, after the shepherd, following Him in the pasture He provides?

“I must needs go home by the way of the cross, there’s no other way but this”

Psa 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 

Am I entering His gates, coming into His presence with gratitude in my heart?  And for what am I thankful?  Material things fade, and can be lost. It’s a well known fact here in a Senior Citizens community that health and well being are in decline, for some more for others less.  While being thankful for the good things God chooses to bless me with, if all those are gone, He will still be the God of Glory, Creator, Provider and all those other words that describe the character of my Abba/Father. 

What if God’s version of Heaven requires that I make a joyful noise, serve with gladness, sing before Him, be always congnizant  of His authority, control and power, along with His grace, mercy, and enduring steadfast love?  What if I have to know how to enter into His presence with joy and gratitude, praising Him, blessing Him?  What if life here on this planet, brief as it is by comparison to eternity, is my opportunity to learn and practice what I will do in Heaven while the ages roll.  Will I know how to honor and glorify God where perfection will be in Heaven, if I don’t figure out how to honor and glorify Him where my trust and faith are tested?  Is that place in Glory reserved for those whose faith and trust are challenged, and is proved even in the face of struggle to learn that God’s love and care still surpass any heartache here?

Psa 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 

Psa 100:5  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. 

If you find it needful to communicate with me, let your words be  filtered through Ps 100, and for added measure Ps 103!    My soul can always stand a bit of refreshment, my spirit is humankind fragile, easily distracted, too readily disengaged, and in constant danger of being hair trigger eager to doubt God’s good intent and fall flat.   Just the place the enemy of my soul would like to take me.  I always need to be reminded God is in control, He has a plan and a purpose, His love and care have been proven, His way is good, even when I don’t understand it. I can completely trust His will and way for me.  And know this, I pray that my words will be filtered as well …”for His name’s sake” Ps 2

Pro 16:6  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. Pro 16:13  Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right. 

Pro 16:20  He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.

16:21  The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. 

Pro 16:24  Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 

Job 42:5  I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 

I HAVE seen the Lord, I am here on this planet briefly, my true Home is in Glory, and for now, I want to  take every  opportunity to learn every lesson for the value He intends.  To learn to praise and honor Him, to be thankful for His grace and mercy ~ what ever that looks like today.