Psalm 100 is subtitled “A Psalm of Thanksgiving,” and gives us four reminders on how to be thoughtfully thankful to God this Thanksgiving so we won’t get confused and thank a turkey for its giblets.
1st Reminder: SHOUT!
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!” (Psalm 100:1)
Too many Christians are staid, formal, stiff and boring. Our God is none of those. When we shout to the Lord it shows excitement. But why shout? When you are excited about your favorite football team what do you do? Why should the excitement end when you’re in church?
Remember who you are shouting about: God, the Maker of Heaven and earth and you and me. Here’s a suggested shout: “Thank you, Lord!”
2nd Reminder: SERVE!
“Serve the Lord with gladness!” (Psalm 100:2)
Are you serving the Lord joyfully or just putting in your time? Is your Christian life one big frown, a way of passing time till you die? Serving others in His name—with a smile—will show them you are thankful.
Christians sing “I’ve got that joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” Perhaps they need to put it up on their mouths where people can see it as they move someone’s piano.
3rd Reason to be thoughtfully thankful: SING!
Come into his presence with singing!” (Psalm 100:2b)
This doesn’t need much explanation, does it? If you’re happy and thankful, you will sing. The hymn says so: “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free; For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”
Some live life as if they are singing dirges, which is perfectly fine—if you’re on a grave digger’s praise team.
4th Reason to be thoughtfully thankful: SUBMIT!
“Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” (Psalm 100:3)
“Submit” is never a popular word, is it? But why fight God? Willingly submit to his will; he’s gonna have it anyway.
“When you submit to Christ the Shepherd, you are praising God,” wrote Warren Weirsbe.
“Submitting to Him is aligning your will to His will and obeying His Word. Submit to God—He will love and guide you.”
This is what will happen when you shout, serve, sing and submit to God: You will “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:4)
But the main reasons we should be thoughtfully thankful are these: “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)
God is good, eternally loving, and he will be with us forever. Can you say, “Thank you, Jesus?”
Doesn’t that make more sense than thanking the stuffing?
Happy Thanksgiving!