Need to Know

By Pastor Dan Hickling

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”—Psalm 100:4 (NKJV)

Psalm 100 is unique among the Psalms in that it is relatively short, being only five verses long. However, its focus is powerful and impossible to miss. The tone is certainly celebratory. It doesn’t include any deep wrestling with the injustices of life or any of the Psalmists’ personal struggles. It’s pretty straightforward from start to finish: Make a joyful and thankful noise to the Lord!

Without a doubt, this is the attitude that ought to fill and overflow our hearts, especially as we prepare ourselves for the new season of life that lies ahead for us. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our lives looked much more like Psalm 100 in the year to come than in the year that’s about to pass? Of course, it would! But if we’re honest, gratitude towards God can be a struggle. It doesn’t come naturally. But if it’s something the Lord calls us to, then it must be possible. So how can our hearts be made more thankful?

The answer lies embedded in the center of this very Psalm! Pay particular attention to what we see in the third verse: “Know that the Lord, He is God . . .” (Psalm 100:3 NKJV).

Don’t overlook the importance of the word know. This speaks to the mind that God has given us. Our mind and its capacity to attain and retain knowledge plays a very vital role in our relationship with God. We need to know who God is and what He has done if our hearts are to have the right attitude toward Him. We can even say that our mind leads our heart when it comes to the Lord; what we know of Him will define our heart toward Him.

This is why it’s so important for us to know what God’s Word has to say concerning Him. It discloses His goodness, His mercy, His forgiveness, His healing, His redemption, His restoration, His vindication, and His coming. On and on it goes, and the more we invest in our knowledge of God from the Scriptures, the more naturally we will thank and praise Him. 

So, in this upcoming year, in this season and spirit of newness, consider how you can increasingly fill your mind with the knowledge of who God is and what He’s done for you. The more you do so, the more thankful you’ll be, because your heart will be led by what you’re putting in your mind!

DIG: What’s the focus of Psalm 100? 

DISCOVER: How does our knowledge of God relate to our heart towards Him?

DO: How can/will you increase your knowledge of who God is in this upcoming year? Research different reading plans and spiritual disciplines over the next few days that you can implement into your daily routine to grow in this area.