Worship Devotionals #4: Psalm 100:4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 100:4 (NIV)

We are called to enter into God's presence. We are all called to give Him thanks and praise. We are made to be His worshipers. But that doesn't stop there because we are also given a call to lead God's people into His presence.

Often times, we always think of ourselves alone, praising God, giving thanks to Him, worshiping Him is the best thing that we could do for Him, we often forgot that it is also our calling to lead His people and take them to the Most Holy place, since Jesus had made me opened that place for everyone. Exclusivity is not even in the picture when He already tore its veils.

Its a sad truth that many of us are satisfied on praising and worshiping God alone.

I've been a music minister for 2 years now, and during my early years in the ministry, singing in front of the congregation is a plain job for me, even though I know that we are leading them still I am more concerned about myself on entering into His presence and often forgot about the people. It's wrong, its definitely a wrong purpose of leading. It's our role to lead them into God's presence, into the most holy place, not just us but the whole congregation. and this also goes to the kids, ushering, and events ministers.

But wait, is leading the people stops in the joining in any ministries? a big "NO", perhaps this is the most common misconceptions in leading. We can also lead people even in the secular environment, as told by Jesus, He gave us this mission to go and make disciples and make God's name known throughout the nations, teaching them to obey God's word and that is also an act of leading the people into God's presence. So whether you are at school, workplace, and home, you can lead the people into God's presence.

Here's another dilemma for some of the ministers, some of them are afraid, and asked themselves,"what if I can't lead the congregation?" "what if i failed to lead them?" "What if I made a mistake?" Well, to start with, God always look at the heart, and these were the times when we need to let go of our own capacities and learn to trust God, and let Him do the rest, it is through His grace and His spirit that gives us the capacity to lead, the anointing comes from Him and not within us.

We are entering His gates with thanksgiving and praise because He is worthy to be praised, He is worthy to be lifted up, He is worthy for us to also lead the people into His presence. The King above kings and the Name above all names.

What are you more concerned about, drawing near yourself to God, drawing others near to God, or both?
In what ways can you lead the people into God's presence aside from the things you have been doing?
Personally, Why is God worthy of your thanksgiving and praise?