ENTER GOD’S GATES WITH THANKSGIVING

Psalm 100, A Song of Thanksgiving

Joy

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

• Have you seen the earth shout for joy? How?
• What are your favorite songs of joyful worship?

Knowledge

Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

• How does knowing the Lord is God guide your life?
• What does it mean to you to be one of God’s people?

Thanksgiving

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

• When do you enter God’s gates right now?
• What do you give thanks to God for?

God’s Faithfulness

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

• How has God been faithful to you?
• To someone older than you are?
• Someone younger?

A Gratitude Journal

I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the cares and worries of life. I worry about world hunger and animals that are on the endangered species list. I fret about our nation, my state, and my town. I wring my hands over friends in the hospital and family under stress. To break this cycle of worry, I’ve gone back to a discipline I’ve used off and on over the years. I’m sure you know about gratitude journals, but if you’re like me and have slipped out of the habit, I want to encourage you to pick it up again.

• Get a small blank book and pen.
• Put them on your bedside table.
• Every night before you turn out the light, write in it.
• Start with one item from the day.
• As you get in the habit, you’ll find your list grows longer on its own.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. May every day be a song of thanksgiving for all of this year.

Suzanne