Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. (Psalm 100:4)Did you know that Scripture contains God's address? But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel (KJV - Psalm 22:3). The New American Standard Bible reads: Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. Either way, this passage confirms that God is present in the praises of his people. If God seems distant, praise him and he is there.
If God's address isn't good enough, today's reading contains a map to his house... like an early Iron Age GPS: Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise.
In Moses' time, worshipers entered the tabernacle with a blood sacrifice. The bronze altar was directly in line between the entrance of the courtyard and the door to the Most Holy Place... God's presence. There was no bypass, no detour.
Jesus became our once-and-for-all blood sacrifice - our access to God. Again... no bypass, no detour. It is through Christ that we offer our gifts of thanksgiving and praise. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name (Hebrews 13:15).
When was the last time you experienced God's presence?
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