Pastor John Lovegrove: Why be thankful

A thankful spirit and attitude is a blessing to other people and it contributes to our mental health and peace of mind. It is also being obedient to God as well as recognizing His goodness to us. Psalm 100 is a great Psalm on being thankful.

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Vv. 1, 2   

Our hearts can be joyful before the Lord.

We ought to serve Him with gladness. It is a privilege and honor to do it. He is such a good Master. We should be doing what He wants us to do.

We need a quiet time each day to enter His presence. When we stop to think of His blessings, His goodness towards us, and the beauties of His creation that is all around us, there is ample cause for us to enter His presence with a song in our hearts. We are commanded to have a song for the Lord in our hearts. In Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Here is Psalm 100:3

Know ye that the LORD He is God: It is He that hath made us,
And not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

We need to know that he is God.

He is the One Who made us. We did not do that ourselves. We are not a self-made person. All that we are able to do is dependent on the Lord for our enabling and opportunity.

We are His people, even if we think we only have to answer for ourselves.

We are the sheep of His pasture. It is very comforting to know the Lord as the Good Shepherd Who gave His life for the sheep. We have His care and provisions like a shepherd  has for his sheep.

Here is Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: 
Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.

We have a lot of “things” to be thankful for.

We also need to have some reasons to praise His name for His greatness, almightiness, long suffering and tender mercies.

Finally, here is Psalm 100:5

For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting;
and His truth endureth to all generations.

I am glad to be able to trust my soul to His saving grace and mercy. Thereby we have hope of everlasting life.

Pastor John Lovegrove
Shelley Baptist Church
208-552-1102
[email protected]