Psalm 100

Monday, February 20, 2012 (7:37 a.m.)

Blessed, Awesome Father God,

Thank You that I get to come before You feeling sad and grumpy. You accept me exactly as I am. I don’t have to clean myself off and look my best before coming into Your presence. Oh thank You God. Thank You.

Thank You that as I even considered the words ‘coming into the presence of God’ I was immediately directed to Psalm 100. There I felt a smile come over me. A true, not pretend smile. One that reminds me of Your love and faithfulness. Thank You Father. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Holy Spirit.

You provide me with joy. I don’t always appreciate it as it happens. Sometimes I have to look back and think “Oh yeah, that’s what that was.” But it’s there. In so many ways. In friends. Loved ones. Strangers. I just need to look. Truly seek that I will find!

Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) for this year. The day before the beginning of Lent. Five years ago on Ash Wednesday, my brother shared with me the deepest grief that any parent can ever experience. The death of his son. Father God, as this very sad anniversary approaches, I ask You to hold him in the very palm of Your hand. Bless him and keep him, turn Your face upon him and give him Your peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

He and I have forged a relationship with one another that is absolutely built on Your love for each of us. How grateful I am to You for this. We have a whole new level of conversation, admiration and respect that comes only because of You.

Thank You Father. Thank You that even though my exterior demeanor of the morning was set to ‘go through the motions’, You tapped the deepest interior of my heart. You reminded me to “Shout with joy before the Lord, O earth! Obey Him gladly; come before Him, singing with joy. Try to realize what this means – the Lord is God! He made us – we are His people, the sheep of pasture” (Psalm 100:1-3).

While there is still great resistance to the wants (or lack thereof) of my flesh, the next two verses (4-5) cause my feet to tap and my face to smile. “Go through His open gates with great thanksgiving; enter His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and bless His name. For the Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind, and His faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation.”

Most Dear and Blessed Father God, I am asking You right now to make this Psalm and the song that I know to have come from it my Lenten sacrifice to You. Remind me of the importance of coming before You with thanksgiving and praise each and every day.

Empower and enable me to come before You each day wholeheartedly singing ♫I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart. I will enter His courts with praise. I will say, “This is the day that the Lord hath made, I will rejoice for He has made me glad! He has made me glad. He has made me glad. I will rejoice for He has made me glad…♫

Ah yes, most dear and blessed Father God, make this the song of my heart for these next six weeks as we prepare our hearts and minds to fully celebrate Your Beloved Son's victory over death.

Thank You for adjusting my negative attitude this morning. May I please use this day to bring glory and honor to Your most Holy name. I love You so incredibly much. Thank You. Amen.

(610 words ~ 8:29 a.m.)