Psalm 100 (NKJV)
A Psalm of Thanksgiving. 1Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.
Companions,
I have been enjoying the Thanksgiving week staying with my Son and Family in the North Georgia Mountains. Spending time with family, reliving old tales and enjoying good food, makes it easy to feel thankful for many obvious gifts. There are however, many God given gifts we may not think about as often. Even with all of Solomon’s organizational gifts and Hiram’s skill at drawing plans, without someone’s gifted skill to make a perfect ashlar the Temple would still be a pile of rocks in the quarry. Let us be thankful for all our individual gifts, whatever they may be, and use them for God’s glory. Let us also be thankful for the gifts of others, not envious of theirs or boastful of ours, so that our Lives, Families, and Fraternity may more resemble a temple than a pile of rocks.
Almighty God, we praise Your holy name and thank You for the many blessings we enjoy. Help us O Lord to use our gifts to magnify your glory. Amen.
Jack A. Holloway
I. Associate Grand Chaplain