Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving
Psalm 100:4

Picture a little girl sitting all alone on an enbankment near her home, dutifully pouring over the words from her Bible, taking time to memorize Psalm 100. A favorite elementary teacher had given the assignment to complete during the Thanksiving Holiday. 

Today, I’m surprised my first memory of Thanksgiving isn’t about the feast and fellowship our family enjoyed that day. No, it isn’t about the food.

It’s all about Psalm 100.

Those words penned on paper, thousands of years ago by a shepherd boy named David, took root in my heart that day and started me on the pathway of knowing God.

Now in the winter season of my life, I still love to quote the psalm.  

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness.
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God. 
It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves.
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 
Enter His gates with Thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.
Be thankful unto Him and bless His name. 
For the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting
and His truth endures to all generations (Psalm 100 KJV).

What special memories of Thanksgivings past come to your mind today?

May your time with family and friends be especially blessed as you gather around the table to thank the Lord for His many blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I remember my first Thanksgiving. Surprisingly
it wasn’t about our family gathering around the table
for a sumptious feast, though I know we did. What I do remember is sitting on an enbankment close to our house, memorizing Psalm 100.

My teacher gave this assignment to our class. I guess she wanted us to learn the art of thanksgiving. So because I wanted to please my teacher, I took the time to learn this psalm written thousands of years ago by a shepherd boy named David.

I’m so glad I did. Memorizing that Psalm was one of the early disciplines that set my heart on the pathway of knowing God. I am grateful I can still quote that psalm by heart today. And grateful for the teacher who encouraged me to do it.

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness.
Come before his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord he is God. 
It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves.
We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. 
Enter his gates with Thanksgiving and into his courts with praise.
Be thankful unto him and bless his name. 
For the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting
and His truth endures to all generations (Psalm 100 KJV).

What special memories of Thanksgiving past come to your mind today?

May your time with family and friends be especially blessed as you gather around the table to thank the Lord for His many blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving!