Staying Connected

Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs. .. . .

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

(Psa. 100:2, 4)

Daily, a Christian can become bogged down in the daily grind, and need to get back into the place (spiritually) in which he see things the Lord's way and can operate in the Lord's patience, wisdom, cheerfulness, power, and love. At such times, one can "enter his gates" by purposely beginning to thank him for his goodness and his blessings. One can walk all the way into "his courts" by praising him. That might be praise directed to him personally or it can be by making a comment to someone else about the goodness of God. One creative way to do this was practiced by my pastor, Tony Shuff, in his early days as a Christian. As his co-workers took a break to have a smoke, he took a break to get away and praise the Lord. ☺

As thankfulness and praise are directed deliberately toward God, the heart breaks free from the crust of care and intense effort. One can again see the Lord, step freely into his presence, and begin again to function in his grace.