God's Rx: What and Why

Is there a divine prescription for blessings? I mean, who doesn’t like to receive blessings? And if such a prescription existed, how would it (or should it) change daily living? We will start with the what.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Prescription For Blessings

God’s Rx (above) is found in Psalm 100:4. Like much of Scripture it seems simple enough for us to grasp. It’s obvious we are to be thankful. But there is so much more in these few words.
First, this is a prescription for worship. Don’t miss that. This was written to a Jewish audience. Their worship, whether in the Temple or the Tabernacle, involved coming into the outer gates. They understood this well. So the first thing about worship is giving thanks. And you’re already wondering what is the connection between worship blessings! Hang on.
So God’s prescription is also a progression. Passing the gates of thankfulness brings us into the courts of praise. The progression is then summarized:

• Be thankful
• Bless His name

It should apparent we cannot fully bless His name without being thankful!
Now, back to your question about collecting those blessings. This is also a divine prescription for that. But please notice this aspect is not the primary focus of the verse. The focus is on God’s honor and worship. The blessings we receive are secondary to that purpose. But they are real just the same.

A Little Practice

Before we get to the why, there is a need to recount some things for which I am thankful. And, No, this is not about Thanksgiving Day although we are at that time of year.
My previous post was about giving thanks. This is not repetition. It’s a pattern of life we are to exhibit. In I Thessalonians 5, Paul tells us to:

• Rejoice always (constant action)
• Pray without ceasing (constant action)

and then he said:

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

So rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks are not part-time activities!

Practice 1

One of my blessings was a great time last week with a great team of ROW mission volunteers. I have had a great deal to say about that. More can be said.

Practice 2

I am thankful for the congregation I serve as a pastor. That’s true 365 days a year. But upon my arrival home with the mission team our family of faith was celebrating Pastor Appreciation. We received so many kind words of thanks and appreciation. Each was a blessing humbly received.

Practice 3

Thankfulness turns into encouragement. Last week, a young man on the mission team took me aside to chat. We were about to part ways at the airport. He thanked me for the ways we had studied Scripture each morning. He wanted me to know it had opened the Word to him in ways it had not been prior to our time together. That in turn caused me to be thankful. Why? For the gift of teaching that God has placed within me. It’s not about me or that young man. It is about God doing what He does through His servants to bless and equip His family of faith.

Practice 4

I got pretty sick last week. That is fairly unusual. Had it not been for the team around me, and the prayers of many people, I don’t know how the week might have ended. But those people and prayers were used to bring all things together as they should have been! We left nothing undone. God is good.

Blessings and the Why…

Tune in for the next installment and we will address the why of God’s Rx.

Soli Deo Gloria!