Enter

It's been 2 weeks now since we studied Psalm 100 as part of our LWC Band practice. I arrived at LWC in 2002, and a study of the Psalms was an important part of what I wanted to do each week with our artists. I honestly expected to be done by now (there are only 150 psalms), but you know how it goes...

Any way, Psalm 100 is familiar to a lot of folks because it is the source of "He Has Made Me Glad," a hymn I remember from my upbringing in the Southern Baptist Church. When we sang it, it was fast, clappy, and had a touch of saloon-style piano playing. Honestly, I've never thought much of it.

When we looked afresh at God's word the other night, though, the first word of verse 4 jumped out at me:
"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."

That one word, "Enter," says so much. Or maybe it doesn't say so much. Here's what I mean. It doesn't say:
-Wait around at his gates until you feel thankful.
-Walk through his gates and see if he makes you want to praise him.
-Ignore his gates...they won't do you any good any way.

The message here is this: We enter the gates of God's presence thankful for what he is doing; anticipating what he will do. His love "endures forever"( v. 5) There are too many Sundays where I myself enter his gates with a bad attitude, thinking "I hope God shows up today."

In reality, He's always there. God's presence if always good. He's always worthy of thanks and praise. Sadly, we're not always ready for him.

Now, each Sunday when I walk through the thick metal doors of our meeting place at Bethel Elementary School, I'm reminded to enter, not wondering what God is going to do, but looking forward to being a part of what he is already doing.

photo by Declan McCullagh