Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Listen to the Word

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.  (Psalm 100:4-5)

Psalm 100 challenges us to bring two things with us into the presence of God: thanksgiving and praise. Then, just in case we weren't paying attention, it says we should give thanks to him and praise his name. Thanking God and praising God are obviously connected to one another, but they are two distinct things. When we thank God, we express our gratitude for what he has done. When we praise him, we celebrate who he is. He deserves both.

You should praise God for the same reasons every human who ever lived should praise him: because he is great and good and gracious and generous and glorious in every other way we could imagine. But the reasons you should thank him are as individual as your fingerprint. He has poured out a unique concoction of mercies on your life that are new every morning, and you can thank him for the specific people, opportunities, and things he has given to you.

Live the Word

Think of three traits of God for which you want to praise him, and three gifts from God for which you want to thank him. Express those to him.