Read
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100:4-5
Reflect
After Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, God knew that they needed a way to continually worship Him wherever they went. He gave them a template for a “tabernacle,” which, for them was basically a moveable temple. It had fabric walls and could be folded up and could be set up wherever they camped. But the most important thing was that God was giving them a consistent pattern of getting into His presence.
At the end of the tabernacle was the “holy of holies,” which is where the Ark of the Covenant rested. It was behind a thick curtain and contained the presence of God. This was the most cherished place in the entire Jewish faith because this is where the High Priest could meet with God and ask forgiveness for the sins of the people.
But before the priest could enter that most holy of places, he had to walk the length of the tabernacle, starting with the gates. Here, the writer of Psalm 100 says, the people were to enter the tabernacle, “with thanksgiving in their hearts.” The next stop on the journey was the outer courts, and the psalmist said the people should go there, “with praise.”
Life will bring its share of serious places that require serious attitudes and may even demand that we ask for forgiveness of God and others. But the Lord wants us to remember that we should start every journey – including the start of every day – with thanksgiving of Him in our hearts, and keep the praise of Him on our lips. No matter what comes our way, we can always have the joy that comes from faith in the Lord!
Reflection copyright © 2024 Doug DeBolt.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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