Thankful, Day Fourteen

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

Unless I'm mistaken, the Hebrew word translated praise is hallel. And if memory serves it means to act the fool in praising God, to cast off all inhibitions and literally throw yourself into it. It is also the root of the universal praise word hallelujah, which literally means praise the Lord. How can we possibly be quiet and still, reserved in our praise of God Almighty, Lord of Everything, especially when we consider all that He has done for us, all that He has given, all that He has promised, and all that He is?

I'm thankful today and I give God praise because He has not abandoned me to my own ways, but rather has kept me in His. There have been times where I have strayed from the path--not walking away from God, but taking a detour from His will. I'm so thankful He didn't leave me out there to wander alone. Instead He walked with me, and talked with me, and continued speaking words of wisdom and guidance until I was back on the right path.

I'm thankful today and I give God praise because He is on my side, and if God be for me, everyone else might as well be. There have been times when I've had to take a stand, but when I stood in righteousness and I stood in faith, I knew that the Lord was standing right beside me. There have been times when I've had to face enemies and battles and other threatening situations, but God has always been there with me.

I'm thankful today and I give God praise because He sees what I cannot see, and He is always working on my behalf, even when I don't know it. He knows the beginning and the end of all things in my life, He's already worked out all the details, and He is certainly completely in control. All I've got to do is keep my heart tuned to His, and not try to get ahead of Him.

Thank you God, for your personal involvement in my little life.