When At The Gates of God

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him, bless his name. – Psalm 100:4 (NRSV)

What are you thankful for today? Have you told God? Have you told anyone for that matter? Where have you found the gates of God? Where do you think God’s courts are? How have you blessed God’s name?

I once heard that each time you pick up the phone you should smile. When I asked why I was told, “Because the person on the other line will be able to hear your smile and you will make their day better.” Ever since I have heard that mighty peace of wisdom I have tried to follow it. Even if I am not making the person’s day better on the other end of the line, it makes my day a little better.
Mother Teresa once said, “Kind words can be short and very easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” I suppose that is true. I remember the people who tell me very kind things and very mean things. Both stick with me. Sometimes I say very rude things before I think about it. It really is simple to say something rude, and we try to apologize later saying something like, “I am sorry about that, my emotions got the best of me.” But we know that doesn’t make it better, those awful words hang in the air. The people we hurt are hurt. Words cannot really be taken back, which is why it is good to say kind words. They linger in the air too, but instead of pain they bring joy.
I got a call today from a friend. She was obviously smiling when I answered the phone, I could hear it and suddenly I was smiling too. She was so full of joy it made me happier. She was so full of thanksgiving it made me more thankful. Then she said some kind words about me and my heart rejoiced. Now I am praising God too!

I hear a lot of people talk about how awful the world is these days. We have each complained bitterly about something. But each morning we wake up we enter the gates of God. God’s courts are all around us, and there is plenty for which to be thankful! We must make choices though. We can choose to answer the phone with a frown and bring no joy. We can choose to say rude words and only make it so people don’t want us anywhere near. Or we can choose to rejoice with thanksgiving because we are in the courts of God, we are saved in the name of Jesus, we are God’s little loves. The choice is ours each moment. How will you enter the gates of God today?

With hope and joy,
Garrett