“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations”- (Psalm 1004-5, NIV)
In almost all monarchial states, whenever delegations are being ushered into the royal court, there are often greeted with trumpets blowing and an advance person singing praise to His or Her Majesty. The reason behind is that by the time one gets to meet the King or Queen, in person, such is already in the mood to receive the guest. Pleased, His Majesty gladly opens up to His visitors.
This is exactly what we are here being advised in our leading verse, that where we are entering into the presence of our heavenly Father, let us start with thanksgiving and praise. As one writer once observed we don’t enter into the presence of mere mortals, but a God who is the Father of all creations. If, earthly kings and queens, are worthy of this treat; then, how about the living God!
However, an important point is that we do this not as a hypocritical gesture, quite common in royal circles, where people blow trumpets to His majesty as a guise to seduce him award them a favour. In fact, in royal courts, praise singers have a tendency to overdo it, or compete in their adulation of His majesty. Theirs is often empty praise.
For Christians, our praise and thanksgiving must be genuine. When we look back at our lives we are indeed most grateful for all the good things God has done for us. How could we not, aware of His protection from close brushes with death. How could we not, looking back at all the blessings in this life!
So, today, maybe one of those, when looking back at all Jehovah has done in your life, you enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. As Psalm 145:3 says, “Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom”
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven earth, today I come into your presence with thanksgiving and praise, for you have been so good to me, and I am thankful, and give you praise, all this I pray in Jesus’s name!
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17/05/2024 - 18/05/2024 All day“And I in righteousness I shall see your face; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:15)
One of the defining aspects we see in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ is that He began the day with prayer. “Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35). As he was always surrounded by crowds and after such a busy day before of preaching and engaging the Pharisees in debates this must have been a therapeutic moment for Christ when he would have some good time to himself.
But there was also more. For Jesus being away in a secluded place would also mean a chance to pour out His heart to God, meditate in quietness, plan for the day ahead and listen to the Father. Jesus must have looked up to this moment every day knowing its benefits. Conversations with His Father must have been real and intimate, bringing a certain soothing and uplifting of His spirit. You do not wake up and stick to something on a daily basis that is a drag – this must have been his best time of the day!
Martin Luther the leader of the protestant reformation is reputed to once have said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Here is the point. In the olden days before the arrival of locomotive transport those who were setting out for a long journey on foot had to start early with the first cock crow before the punishing sun came out. One of the things they had to start with also was a good meal, which was fuel needed to give them energy through the long walk to their destiny.
There are no rules about waking up to pray as first thing- or even saying prayer at a defined hour of the day. God is everywhere and ever with us. He is accessible at any time of the day. But there is something special about prioritizing our lives that the first thing we do is to talk to God. Just like the early traveller we need fuel, for the long day ahead!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a joy and privilege to make time at the start of any day, talk and hear from you, for the power I need through the day, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
