Tuesday, November 22, 2011

What's the Password?

Psalm 100 (The Message Bible)

 
A Thanksgiving Psalm
 
1-2  On your feet now-applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence. 3 Know this: God is God, and God, God. He made us; we didn't make him. 
We're his people, his well-tended sheep. 4 Enter (His Gates) with the password: "Thank you!"  Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him. 5 For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever. 
 
 
Often, just to say the words Thank You, does not seem enough. Recognizing how good God has been to us, how merciful, and how forgiving, we can't fathom that the words Thank You, would move Him in any way.

However, as we read these familiar passages of scripture, we are reminded that the words "Thank You" or the act of Thanksgiving is the key that moves Him to open His gates and allow us to enter into His presence.

A gate is defined as "an opening permitting passage through an enclosure." or "any means of access or entrance." Through His gates, we find the courtway that leads to His holy temple. That place where He resides. As we seek to come into the presence of God, to praise and worship Him, we must enter at the gate, and our attitude, the state of our heart - has everything to do with whether or not we are allowed to enter.

It is interesting that in these passages, the word of God does not list other attributes such as holiness, or righteousness, or any type of title or role that we must hold in order to enter the gate. It is as if God has put all of those other things to the side, and is simply saying, "I am looking for those with a Grateful Heart," and they are welcomed into my presence to commune with me. Grateful for salvation and forgiveness, grateful because we understand how undeserving we are. Grateful for Gods benevolence toward us. Grateful for family, friends and provision. I could go on and on. Then, as we commune with Him, we find that it is in His transforming presence that we through repentance exchange our filthy rags, for the garments of Holiness and Righteousness.

While it would be easy to assume that everyone reading these words today has received the love and the salvation of Jesus Christ, that may not be the case. Or, there may be a true believer that is presently separated from God, because of sin, and wants to come back to Him but is unsure how. Whatever situation you may find yourself in this day, I share with you the password found in the word of God. A heartfelt, sincere, "Thank You." While things may not be the best, things could be very different. If you are reading these words, you are amongst the land of the living, and therefore, you have another opportunity to say Thank You, to let the Lord know how much you love and appreciate Him, and then to Praise Him not for anything He has done, but just because of who He is! Our Creator, Our Lord, Our Savior, Our King, Our Brother, Our Friend.

No matter what you may have said or done, let me remind you how much God loves you, how much He has always loved you, and that He could never love you any more than He does at this very moment. In fact, He is waiting for you, waiting for you at the Gate, go ahead an enter, for now....you know the password! 


Copyright 2011 - Victoria L. Burse, Queens of the Kingdom

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