Psalm 100

Psalm 100

1) Shout triumphantly to the LORD, 

all the earth.

2) Serve the LORD with gladness; 

come before Him

with joyful songs.

3) Acknowledge that the LORD

is God. 

He made us, and we are His--

His people, the sheep 

of His pasture.

4) Enter His gates 

with thanksgiving

and His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him and praise

His name.

5) For the LORD is good, 

and His love is eternal; 

His faithfulness endures 

through all generations. 

I have been piddling today looking at different verses about God, who He is and ultimately focusing on His faithfulness.  It is overwhelming to go into His Word and try to grasp Him as God.  In Genesis alone He created, He made, He said, He finished, He revealed Himself, He walked, He rested, He banished and on and on!  Whoa!  How amazing to think of who God is and the fact that He was willing to make a way for me to be in relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus.  You know, Jesus gave up heaven to experience earth, to relate, to connect, to become human, to be the bridge between us and God,  He was beaten and endured a cruel death, to be risen to life in order to provide life and pay the penalty for my sin and yours to allow us to be in relationship with His Father.  He even left His Spirit here on earth to live inside of us!  Mind-boggling, isn't it?  All for relationship with me, with you!  I guess that makes us pretty special, huh?

I finally landed on Psalm 100 as I was looking through the first part of the Old Testament specifically at God's faithfulness to His promises!  

Look at what we get to do in Psalm 100.  

Shout triumphantly to the LORD, serve the LORD with gladness, come before Him with joyful songs, acknowledge that the LORD is God.  HE MADE US AND WE ARE HIS!  His people, the sheep of His pasture (what?).  Think about what it means to be a sheep of His pasture:  to be dependent, trusting, protected, provided for, directed, content, complete, at peace, joyful, guided, able to rest,  and led.  Do you see the freedom that completely trusting in the LORD brings?  

Look at verse 4, we even get to enter His gates with thanksgiving!  To enter His gate, now that is something to be thankful for!  Because of Jesus, I can go straight to God in prayer, think about that!  Into His courts with praise, what a privilege that God allows us to enter His presence and that we are allowed to worship Him!  Praising His very Name!  He reveals Himself by so many names right there in Genesis also.  God (Elohim), Creator, Mighty God, LORD God, The God who sees, etc.  

We can praise Him because He is good and His love is eternal; His faithfulness endures through all generations!  Are you catching those words with me?  HE IS GOOD!  HIS LOVE IS ETERNAL! HIS FAITHFULNESS ENDURES THROUGH ALL GENERATIONS!!!  Awesome!

Do you know how blessed you are?  Do I know how blessed I am?  We get to have a personal relationship with the God of the Universe!  We get to shout triumphantly, praise Him personally, serve Him with gladness, thank Him and be in His very presence!!!  All because of Jesus and His willingness to make a way for us!  It seems kind of natural to praise Him when you look at all He did, all He is and realize just a glimpse of all He still does!  

Help us to praise You!  To recognize who You are, God.  I thank You that, You, LORD are God!  You are beyond good to me!  Forgive me for taking You and all that You have done and do for me for granted so often!  Thank You for Your Word and how You use it to speak to me and to reveal Your character.  I praise You because You are worthy of praise!  I praise You because You are in control and trustworthy.  I serve You because You allow me to serve.  I am Yours!  Thank You for allowing me to be Yours!  I praise You that Your love is eternal and Your faithfulness endures for all time!  You are good!  God, thank You for keeping Your promises all the time!  May I place my eyes on You and look to You alone!