“Enter his gates with thanks, enter His courtyards with praise!  Thank Him!  Bless His name!  Because the LORD is good, his loyal love lasts forever, his faithfulness lasts generation after generation” – Psalm 100:4-5

How often do you find yourself coming to God, entering His courtyard with an express purpose?  You come in ready to take care of business; “Lord, I need you too do…”, “Almighty God will you help me with…”, “Father, be with me during…”, help me do well on the test, sell my house, find a car, get a job, heal me.  Are you starting to get the picture?

The psalmist tells us that we are to enter God’s holy courtyard with praise, giving God glory and thanks because God is always present, always responsive, never turning away from us.  Never changing, always faithful, responding to our needs and our desires even before the words form upon our tongue.

You see throughout scripture we are offered wisdom, ways to live into the presence of the heart of God. The passion translation offers that praise and thanksgiving are the passwords to entering and being present with God.  

When begin to look at just how faithful God is, how good He is, how God provides for our every need before we even realize it, how can we not enter lift up our hands and our voices singing songs of joy, praise, and thanksgiving. 

What is even more amazing, and I can attest to this, when my heart began to change, when I started to enter my times with God giving praise and thanksgiving, the world around me began to change.  Colors really became move vivid, smells became sweeter and the people around me even more precious.

I encourage you to celebrate all that God has, is and will be in your life, take a moment to give praise and just as I did, I believe you will notice a change in your heart and in your life.

Prayer: “God you are the giver of all good gifts and graces, I am grateful that you never turn away from me.  Help me to always sing your praises as I enter your presence.  Amen”