"Enter His gates with thanksgiving,
and into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him and bless His name."
and into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him and bless His name."
Psalm 100:4
Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish to feed a multitude. There was enough food left after feeding everyone to fill twelve baskets. God had more than provided for their needs. What did Jesus do to initiate this miracle? He simply gave thanks to God the Father for what they had. "And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down, and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted" (John 6:11). Jesus released the power of abundance through the prayer of thanksgiving.
As the people entered the temple gates during Bible days, they sang from Psalm 100, giving thanks to God. It was their preparation for worship. They were entering the presence of God with the praise of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving exercises our faith in the covenant blessings of God. There was a joyous expectancy as they assembled before the presence of God. There is a lesson for us today. Certainly, we should offer thanks to God for what He has already done for us. Yet, we need to offer thanks to God for what faith expects to receive. Thanksgiving is still the way into God's presence and blessings.
A certain Christian was depressed. He was without a job, facing a financial crisis. He had asked without seeing any visible results to his prayer. A friend with the same problem said to him, "We need to thank God for what He has done for us in the past, but we also need to thank Him by faith for what He shall do for us." That's when thanksgiving exercises our faith. Doubt says, "God has helped us in the past. Maybe He will help us now." Faith says, "The Lord is our helper. We will thank Him now for what He shall do." Faith knows the power of giving thanks. It is the power of God to provide.
LORD, we thank You for being our helper and provider, in Jesus name. Amen.
