"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His Name."
Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeee !!!! The holiday season has begun! Let the festivities commence!
My most favorite holiday will be here in just a few days. Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving, simply because of the word "thanks". There are 108 verses in the NKJV with the word "thanks" in it; 110 in the NIV; and 143 in the ASV. That tells me that giving thanks is of vital importance.
Everywhere you go, people are talking about all their holiday plans: friends and family coming to stay; what kind of meals to make; exchanging ideas on gifts; baking, baking, and MORE baking. We're in a frenzy to make everything just perfect for that special day. Facebook notes are all about kids coming home and families planning stay-overs. We burst through doors smiling and giggling and hugging and kissing and overflowing with joy because we are with loved ones. Happy, happy, happy.
For the believer, our natural lives should merely be a physical manifestation of our spiritual lives. Our love, joy and happiness should merely be the outward expression of our life in Christ. In the same way we bound into a warm, inviting home we should be bounding into the court of heaven - with love, joy and thanksgiving to be with the King of Kings, smiling and giggling and full of anticipation at spending time with someone we are deeply in love with. Instead of bringing fruit baskets, pies and cookies, we explode into heaven with shouts of praise and glory and honor to Him who created all things. Our ability and capacity to love others is in direct proportion to our ability and capacity to love Christ.
If our spirit doesn't soar with joy at the anticipation of being with Jesus, maybe it's time to take a closer look at our thanksgiving attitude and readjust our wish list. How important is our relationship with Jesus? What do we need to thank Him for? After all, HE is the reason for our existence. How do we go to meet with Him? What will be our thanksgiving offering to Him? And will it be for one day; one week, one month; or one lifetime?
Lord God Almighty, I run into your courts with joyful abandon; laughing, and hugging and kissing your cheeks. I love to love you, Lord. I love being with you. I want to share everything about my life with you. I never want to leave you. Help me, Holy Spirit, to always and forever be thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to forever enter His courts with thanksgiving and praise. Amen.
