Scripture

July

Psalm 100

1 Let the whole earth shout triumphantly to the Lord!

2 Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are his—his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.

5 For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever; his faithfulness, through all generations.

In recent assemblies we've talked about reading Scripture with two questions in mind.

What does this Scripture reveal to me about God? His nature? His character?
What does this Scripture teach me about who I am and what God wants me to do and be?

Psalm 100 tells us at least 5 things we should do.

Shout in triumph to God
Serve (Worship) the Lord
Acknowledge that God is God (and I am not)
Draw near to God with thanksgiving and praise
Thank God and bless Him for all that He is and does for us.

The Psalm highlights these qualities of God:

God is good.
God's love never ends. He won't change His mind about loving His people. He won't fall out of love with us. He will always love us.
He has always been and always will be faithful. He does what He says he will do and He always will.

How great that the all-knowing and all-powerful Creator and Sustainer of the universe is also a good and loving God who always keeps His promises. Let's remember God's goodness and all he does with thankfulness in our hearts.

Romans 1:18-25 speaks of the terrible outcome when people fail to glorify God as God and to thank Him. We read of people whose thinking becomes worthless and they become fools who descend into sin and darkness.

God telling us to consistently remember Him and thank Him might just sound like He has an insatiable desire for worship and praise from His subjects (which He is due) but perhaps His instruction is actually given for our benefit and protection. Makes sense, really. He is a good and loving God with a heart to bless His people. Thank you, God.