stephen R Harrison

My dad taught me Psalm 100. We sat in my room countless nights repeating those five verses that are now etched into my soul. I repeat them often. As I write this devotional about Thanksgiving, I thank God for the way my dad discipled me in the Lord. He loved Jesus and modeled him in so many ways. Three years ago today, he went to heaven, and Psalm 100 became his eternal reality. I can envision both my parents “shouting for joy to the Lord” (Psalm 100:1). The meaning of “worship the Lord with gladness and come before him with joyful songs” (v. 2) has been fully realized. They “know that the Lord is God (v. 3). I’m envious of how they have “entered His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise” (v. 4). My dad is certain “the Lord is good and his love endures forever” (v. 5). Today, Psalm 100 prepares my heart for another Thanksgiving without them on this earth but also for an eternity with Jesus and them!

Two words dominate Psalm 100: joyful (vv. 1-2) and thankful (v. 4). We desperately need these. Many days, including holidays, are filled with hopelessness and despair. In Psalm 100, the psalmist instructed God’s people to shout for joy, worship with gladness, and sing joyful songs (vv. 1-2). A shout can convey pain, fear, and even anger. Here, shouting displays joy. My worship has at times been full of sadness, grief, and even deep anguish, but it is also meant to be full of joy. While singing can be somber and reflective, the psalmist believes there is reason to celebrate with great joy. Why? Verse 3 says, “Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His. We are the sheep of His pasture.” With certainty, we can express our joy through shouting, worshipping, and singing because God, our Creator and Good Shepherd, created, sustains, and loves us. 

The psalmist also says that these attributes of God should cause us to give great thanks. Joy and thanksgiving should go together. Thanksgiving complements joy, reminding us to praise God and not self. Joy complements thanksgiving, reminding us that God is good and to be celebrated even in adversity. Thanksgiving keeps us from complaining. Joy keeps us from sadness. Joy and thanksgiving result in praise! We are thankful for God’s goodness, love, and faithfulness (v. 5). If all I had was their absence this Thanksgiving, I’d be overwhelmed with grief. But I have joy and thanksgiving knowing they are with Jesus, and one day I will be in heaven as well. What a good, loving, and faithful God!

I will miss my mom and dad this Thanksgiving. But I know they are overwhelmed with joy and thankfulness, and that settles my anxious soul. This Thanksgiving, may we come to the Lord with a thankful heart instead of an ungrateful attitude. Our words in prayer can all too often be about lack and want. May our focus on God’s goodness, love, and faithfulness result in hopeful joy and gratitude. Thanksgiving reminds us of all He has done and gives hope of what He will do. We need not worry but be joyful! We need not panic but praise! We are His. He has redeemed us. We are His. He has created us. We are His. He is our Good Shepherd. He is good! He is loving! He is faithful! These truths continue “forever” and “through all generations” (v. 5), giving us everlasting comfort, peace, and endurance beyond a single holiday. May this Thanksgiving and every day until eternity be filled with shouts, worship, and singing with joy and thanksgiving!