Daily Reading: 4-19-16
Psalm 100:4-5 New Living Translation (NLT)
Yesterday, in our daily devotional, we highlighted the invitation God extends to every person to enter and worship Him. Remember, worship is connection, oneness, and agreement with God; He is the Source of all that is good and righteous. Please keep that worship invitation in mind this morning as we read the rest of Psalm 100.
Psalm 100:4-5
4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5
For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
If we offer a spirit of thanksgiving to God for His goodness and kindness to us, that spirit will also work to keep us kind and thoughtful with others. Why? Because when we enter into worship we experience the love and acceptance God extends to us; we know we do not really deserve what God offers us. God offers pure, undefiled, and redeeming love and all we have to do is receive it with thanksgiving. Without the impartation of God’s love through His Spirit, human love fades and turns toward self. When we accept God’s invitation to enter His presence with thanksgiving, we are acknowledging our lack, as well as His greatness; we come to receive what we do not possess. God is generous, dependable, and gives us the necessary grace to honor Him and His love as we connect with others. So when others behave in an unkind fashion, we can be like Jesus and receive the grace to remain kind even when they do not deserve it. This is the love that remains from generation to generation because it is eternal love.
Prayer: Father, there are many things going on around me, today. With all the tasks forthcoming, help me to stay in a place of thanksgiving for your love and grace. I receive what You alone can give me. Help me to return what is from You to others in the many different encounters I will make, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.