By Pastor Anthony L. Scott
Psalm 100:4
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
and into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him and bless His name”.
The 100th Psalm is a song of Thanksgiving, reminding us that it is fitting at all times and in all situations to render thanks to God for what He has done for us. This hymn of praise also emphasizes the importance of blessing His name in recognition of who He is.
The psalmist makes a distinction between thanking God and blessing God. These are duties each of us owes to the one who has been so faithful and good. Thanking God is a requirement of everyone who receives from Him. Blessing God is an expression of how we feel about Him as redeemed people. We thank those who show us kindness and we bless those who demonstrate personal love toward us.
We thank God for what He provides because our needs are met by His hand. We thank Him as well for guidance since He is a shepherd that leads us. We thank God for His wonderful providence even though all our experiences may not be good He works them out for our good.
In addition to thanking God we are called to bless His name. We not only appreciate what God has done but we enjoy who He is. This level of praise and adoration simply basks in His character. The things God does are a product of His nature. He can’t help but be good to us.
This Fourth of July presents us with another opportunity to be thankful and bless His name. We thank Him for our freedoms as citizens of this nation and we bless His name for our being free in Christ.
There is an imaginative story told of a day when the sun did not rise. Six O’clock came and there was no sign of the dawn. Seven O’clock arrived and still no ray of light. By noon it was dark as midnight. No birds sang and only the hoot of an owl broke the silence. Next came the long dark hours of the afternoon. Finally, evening arrived but no one slept. Some wept; some wrung their hands in anguish. Every church was full with people on their knees. After the long night of darkness, all faces were turned toward the east. When the sky began to grow red and the sun rose, there was a loud shout of joy. Millions of lips proclaimed, “Bless the Lord, O my soul”, simply because the sun had risen after one day of darkness.
The very consistency of God’s blessings will often dull our sense of gratitude. His blessings are fresh and new every morning. Let us be constantly thankful to our gracious God. Bless His Name!
