Weekly Prayer Project-Week 8: Be Thankful

Hey You Guys 

Gosh, I’ve really been outta sorts. It’s been challenging getting back into the swing of things and to be honest I have a bit of writer’s block but I wanted to post the one I missed from last week. So here we go..

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. –Psalm 100:4

So I’ve read commentary that I thought was interesting enough to repeat. The author stated that Genesis and Revelations were the gates and that thanks should be given upon reading or “entering.” As you delve into the pages deeper, you proceed to the courts of God which should cause you to praise. I’ve never heard that before and I definitely believe it was an interesting take on it, one that really shouldn’t be disputed.

I think most people think of proximity. So when you enter with thanksgiving, you’re entering into His presence but at the furthest end of gratitude. When you go into or get lost in thanksgiving, you come to the courts to give Him praise and again as you press into it, you begin to worship. I believe there’s also a depth that can be reached in worship. I believe that’s when you experience the glory of God. I’ve never experienced but have heard of it.

There’s definitely levels to it and as a whole I think it’s gratitude. Thanksgiving is just the first step of an expression of it.  It is thanking  and acknowledging Him for what He’s done. Praise is a step further. Praise is a celebration of that. It’s an outward admiration of the act. While worship is deeper than both of those because it crosses over from what He’s done to who He is and there’s an intimacy with that.

People can do for you till the cows come home and you can be grateful, thankful and even praise them for it but it doesn’t mean you know their nature, their intentions, furthermore, their heart. You can’t get excited about who someone is if you don’t know them but you can get excited about what they’ve done for you. In that, there is an element of or at least a temptation to fall into selfishness or lack of appreciation that seems hard to turn a blind eye to.

As humans, we get use to behaviors. We believe that if someone is doing something they should always do it and if they don’t then something is wrong. God has bestowed grace and mercy on us. We mess up time and time again. If He ever felt like not allowing us to partake, He would be well within His rights but we don’t think about that a lot of the times. We think it’s here today, it’ll be here tomorrow and when that type of mentality is prevalent, it’s a breeding ground for entitlement but we aren’t entitled at all. Remember, we don’t deserve it. It’s the definition of grace; unmerited, unearned favor.

On the other hand, when you enter worship, it’s no longer about surface things. Let’s talk in terms of romantic relationships. If you’re my man, I can say, “Babe, thank you so much for keeping a roof over my head, washing the clothes, for defending me and protecting me.” That’s thanksgiving. Praise turns it up a notch. “Girl, my man keeps a roof over my head, he washes the clothes, he takes the trash out without me having to ask, he defends me when anyone tries to come for me. I love how protective he is over me. It makes me feel safe.”But it’s different when I worship, not that we should worship men, this is just to show you how the tone changes.  “Babe, you are trustworthy and kind, you are everything I’ve ever hoped for. You are loving, kind, strong and able. You are amazing to me, for me and I know that you will never let me down. You are responsible and fair. I love you because you first loved me, that’s who you are.” It’s different, right? The thanksgiving leads to praise and then into the worship.

What do you think about this topic? I know this is something that I’ve always wondered about. I thought that praise and thanksgiving was the same. Can you relate? Did you learn anything from the post? Do you use this method as a blueprint to move closer to God’s presence? I’d love to know. Let me know, if you don’t mind sharing your tips in the comments section below and if I can find my book I will try to catch asap.

Peace and be safe

 Beebz ❤