By Cody Anderson
We are beginning a Thanksgiving series. Let’s look at what it means to give thanks. How can we give thanks? To whom is thanks given, and why? This seems like a no-brainer of an article, much less an entire series. I will be honest, when I started my preparation, I thought the same thing. Now I am wondering how I will bring it all together for just four articles.
We start with Psalm 100, the “Thanksgiving Psalm.” With only five verses, it reaches deep into the essence of worship. It clearly demonstrates that our gratitude is not grounded in our circumstances or material blessings, but rather it is rooted in the unchanging Almighty God.
Psalm 100:1 says, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!” (ESV). The first expression is a loud proclamation expressing joy to the LORD. It is a loud chant like expressing allegiance to the King. All over the earth is an inclusive invitation. It is for anyone that has breath in their lungs. It isn’t just for the Israelites or believers.
Verse 2 says, “Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” (ESV). Serving the Lord is worship. The two are not to be separated. Serving with gladness is to do it with thanksgiving, therefore a way of worship. The second part of the verse calls up into the presence of the Lord with singing. This elicits the idea of closeness or drawing near. When one is truly thankful, the desire to be near to God will be great. When we are near, we will want to express the gratitude inside of us by singing and proclamation of His goodness.
Now that you are in His presence, you need to know Him. Verse 3 explains, “Know that the LORD, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture,” (ESV). Acknowledging who God is is not merely intellectual; it is relational as well. It is to understand Him as the sovereign Creator, who enters into a covenantal relationship with His people. We have a special knowledge that results in giving thanksgiving of praise.
Psalm 100:4 reads, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name!” (ESV). One used to bring an offering into the gates for sacrifice. Now that Jesus’ sacrifice has atoned, we continue to bring thanks and praise. Mercy has poured out, and we should continue pouring out praise. As you ponder being able to enter His courts and the veil having been torn, the gratitude welling up in your heart should be expressed with your tongue. Thanks should be poured out for your entire life. Not because everything in your life is going to go as planned or you are going to be healthy and wealthy for all your life, but because God never changes. He remains faithful in all things.
Verse 5 really sums up why we pour out thanks and praise to our God. “For the LORD is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations,” (ESV). God cannot be anything other than good; it is who He is. Therefore, since He will remain good for all eternity, we will have reason to bless His name forever. His love endures forever. Pause and meditate on that thought. Time after time again, the people of God, you and I, have turned our back on Him and said, “We got this; I can do it my way because my way is better.” To the One who created us and provides us with all good things, we trust in ourselves over and over again. He could be bitter and pour hatred and wrath out on us for all eternity and be just. Yet, He can’t because He is love. He remains faithful because again it is who He is. There is no other option as He never changes.
I challenge you to set your mind on the One above. Let your mind move above the materialist blessings. Set your praise, adoration, and thanks on the One who is good, love, and faithful without growing weary.
This article originally appeared in The Clarion Newspaper.
Corinth Baptist Church 