Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
5 For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
I am there in spirit. Those are comforting words but, especially around major holidays like Thanksgiving, it is better to be there in person, together with family, breaking bread. There is something about physical presence that warms the heart. That is the attitude of the psalmist in this psalm of thanksgiving. He praises the Lord and commands his fellow singers to do the same. He added here the physical presence in the temple though. Now, if anyone could be there in spirit, it is God. You can thank him and bless his name anywhere on earth but here the location matters.
This past Sunday, we gathered together in Cape Community Church to give thanks, bless his name, and partake in the Lord’s Supper. We entered his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. We worshiped him because he is good. We thanked him for his steadfast love. Finally, we worshiped him for his faithfulness in sending the promised Son to die for our sins. There were multiple generations worshiping together. We get to experience the presence of the Lord wherever we are and when we gather together in church. Praise the Lord for that privilege!
Dear Lord, thank you so much for your existence but especially for your goodness, your steadfast love, and your faithfulness to us, even though we are sinful, thankless, and unfaithful to you. Help us to worship you at all times when we are alone and when we enter your courts to love you and praise you even more. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church