A Reason To Be Thankful

As a little girl I was challenged to memorize Psalm 100 as THE Thanksgiving Psalm. As I read it now, many years later, I am still struck by the fact that it is God who has made us and not “we ourselves.” Let’s get this straight. He is God and we are not.

 He is the Lord Himself and we are His people, His sheep. We are not responsible for holding the world together. That is His job. We are responsible to praise Him, to thank Him, to be grateful– as in I Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” Yes, say thank you - even when it seems counterintuitive to do so.

Why? because He is good. He is everlasting. He is sovereign. He is faithful. He is relevant to ALL generations. His truth is timely. Read Psalm 136 for more… His love endures forever, forever, forever.

Now this is something to be thankful for. In the uncertainly of our times, as the anxiety mounts, God is still God and He is still in control. As Sarah Young writes in Jesus Calling, “Thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity. It opens your heart to My presence and your mind to My thoughts. You may still be in the same place with the same set of circumstances, but it is as if a light has been switched on, enabling you to see from My perspective. It is this light of my Presence that removes the sting of adversity.”

Praise Him with me as you read Psalm 100 on this Thanksgiving eve.

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving,
And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and bless His name.
 For the Lord is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And His faithfulness to all generations. Amen and amen.