Blessed Thursday to each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior!
Think about a time when you had to face some authority over a mistake you made. For example, have you ever needed to appear in court over a crime or citation? Perhaps as a child you were called to the Principal's office, or had to face your parents over some bad thing you had done. Reading this psalm today, I remembered some times in my life when I dreaded going before a judge in court or facing judgement for what I had done. I certainly did not want to be in God's presence, either. Yet, the psalmist encourages you to come into God's presence, to enter into His gates & courts with praise and singing. How can this be?
Psalm 100
1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into His presence with singing!
3 Know that the Lord, He is God!
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving,
and His courts with praise!
Give thanks to Him; bless His name!
5 For the Lord is good;
His steadfast love endures forever,
and His faithfulness to all generations.On what basis can you come into God's presence in prayer? Based on our sins, you & I are totally unworthy, completely undeserving of God's attention, let alone His help. How is it that God allows and desires you to come to HIm? We're pointed to the answer in verse five. The Lord tells you that He is good; God is love! Remember John 3:16? “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." Jesus Christ, the Son of God came from heaven to earth and became human, so that He could pay the cost of your sins and failures. Because of Jesus, and God's love for you, God is not an angry judge of your failures, but a forgiving, loving Father!
Continuing in verse five, God's love is steadfast, rock-solid, and lasting forever! Because of Jesus, God forgives you all your sins, every one of them! God is faithful to you, and the promises God gives you. God has kept, is keeping and will keep all His promises to you!
Today God invites you to come into His presence with singing, confessing your sins and knowing for sure that God forgives them. That is the best reason ever for singing, thanksgiving and praising!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Mark
Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS Burton, Michigan
office: 810.744.1188
We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:
Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.
Soli Deo Gloria
"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble." Psalm 9:9
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