Thanksgiving. Depending on where you come from, you may have good memories and not-so-good memories of this time of year. It’s the time here in the U.S. when we gather with family and friends to take a breath of gratitude. It makes me think of Psalm 100.
Psalm 100 is given the title “A psalm of thanksgiving,” which is interesting because there isn’t a word for “Thanksgiving” in the Hebrew language. The original word used in this verse is associated with the idea of “giving a thank offering”.
We obviously understand the idea of giving thanks, but we can’t miss the fact that Psalm 100 is a “Kingship Psalm”. This type of psalm acknowledges God as King and celebrates that truth. Think of this as a royal announcement of God’s presence.
The first two verses in Psalm 100 give the reader three commands:
- Make a joyful noise…
- Serve the Lord with gladness!
- Come into His presence with singing!
Have you ever been in Mile High Stadium during a close Broncos game and they score a touchdown? I remember the year that Tim Tebow threw that game-winning touchdown pass against the Steelers. I will never forget the roar of the crowd in victory. Think about those massive screens that flash the words, “MAKE SOME NOISE!”
That’s the picture we’re holding onto here in these verses: we get to MAKE SOME NOISE about our God the King of Heaven.
Think about those words in the first two verses: joyful noise, serve the Lord with gladness, come into His presence with singing! This awareness of God’s goodness drives our hearts towards an attitude of joy. We get to be in His presence and our innate response is worship. I love what Charles Spurgeon said about
“We ought in worship to realize the presence of God, and by an effort of the mind to approach Him.” – Charles H. Spurgeon, Psalms, Vol. 2
And what does our hearts draw us toward in response? The everyday discipline of knowing Him better. We KNOW we are His people. In the words of J.I. Packer, ““What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it — the fact that He knows me.” (J.I. Packer, Knowing God)
So how do we show our gratitude to God beyond Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving can’t be limited to just one day. Our gratitude in knowing who God is goes beyond a man-made holiday; it’s a way of life driven by this knowledge. And it’s in this knowledge that our actions can demonstrate gratitude to God in several ways:
- Spend time with Him (more than the one hour at church)
- Forgive others
- Serve in His Kingdom the Church
- Reach out to hurting people
- Give God the best of your time, talents, and treasures
- Praise Him enthusiastically from the heart in song and prayer
- Revel in His joy by keeping Him the center of our life
What are you thankful to God for?
Write down at least ten things you’re thankful to God for this year. Take fifteen minutes to intentionally thank God for those blessings. Ask yourself, “What has God given me that I can give back as an offering for His goodness in my life?”
How would you answer this question: “This year I’m thankful for…” And how are you going to carry your gratitude beyond Thanksgiving?
