Giving Thanks
By
Peggy Kleckner
“Enter
His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks
to Him and praise His name.”
Psalm
100:4 (NIV)
Two years ago, I spent
some time pondering the words “come and worship.” They were printed on an
invitation to a women’s Christmas luncheon at our church and stayed with me.
“Come” is certainly an all-inclusive invitation word, but what of “worship”? Is
it just singing? Is it music? Is it being quiet or being alone? I think it’s
actually more an act of bowing my heart to God’s headship - - to His right to
sit on the throne of my life as King. Yet not only bowing to His
authority, but also fully accepting and receiving His great love for me, and
then willingly loving Him back.
After that, I read an
article that was speaking of the birth of Christ. How “imperfect” that birth
looked to us. No room at the inn, a stable, no family nearby. That imperfection
was part of God’s sovereign plan. It was His right to choose the setting. Into
that very “imperfect” situation, God placed His greatest gift and He sent out
the invitation to “come and worship.” He called all men to step away from their
work, their worry, their hurry and find their answer in Him alone.
As we prepare to head
into the Christmas season, how appropriate that we are first called to gather
and celebrate Thanksgiving. Our thanksgiving ushers us through His gates and
into His courts to worship and to bow our hearts to His headship and His great
love - - as our Redeemer, our King. Since most of the world does not know
Him, is it any wonder that they run over this holiday and head straight to
Christmas? As believers, shouldn’t we be setting our hearts first to thanksgiving?
We have already received the gift of His Son, our redemption.
That first Christmas
had the setting of rush and throng as well, and into its midst, God sent His
peace, His gift to all mankind. May we use this day of thanksgiving to ready
our hearts for true worship; let us live lives of gratitude. He abides in us
and with us. Oh, that we would look and act noticeably different both at our
Thanksgiving tables and then along the path to Christmas Day.
Today, let us bow our
hearts - - grace-filled hearts of thanksgiving - - and worship our
King…preparing Him room to display His peace through our imperfect lives.
GOING DEEPER:
1. What
“imperfect” situation is keeping you from thanksgiving?
2. Where is He
calling you to display His peace?
FURTHER READING:
Peggy
is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and
is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield.
