Devotion • November 28
Today's Scripture
Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.
For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (NRSV)
Reflection
When teaching children about the Bible, I often show them this trick: hold a Bible in both hands, insert your thumbs in the middle, and open. Most of the time, the Bible opens directly to the psalms. It’s a visual way to experience the psalms as the center, or “heart,” of the Bible and a tangible reminder that prayer (spoken and sung) is at the heart of all we do.
The psalms encompass the full range of human emotions, and there are times I’m grateful to the psalmist for providing words of lament or even vicious anger; today I’m grateful to the psalmist for these words of gratitude.
Today is a day of gratitude, and the psalmist exhorts all the earth to “Make a joyful noise to the Lord!” As Americans give thanks, I wonder what it sounds like to know the whole earth is joining in? Can we hear a song of praise in the chitter of migrating birds, barking of the neighbor’s dog, the rush of lakefront waves, or even in the quiet of an early morning walk? Can we extend enough grace to the honking car horns and the automated voice of the CTA bus conductor to imagine that they too are part of this joyful song of praise?
As we give thanks around tables or in the silence of our hearts, we are joined by the entire created world in saying thank you to our faithful God.
Prayer
Joyful God, you are so good! Your mercy and love endure forever, and for that we are grateful. Please help us to feel your faithful love today, so that we may wholeheartedly give thanks. Amen.
Written by Amy Pagliarella, Parish Associate for Caring Ministries
Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church
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