psalm 100.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

Serve the Lord with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!

It is he who 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.

the phrase "give thanks" is used over 70 times throughout scripture, and several of those times it is phrased something like this: "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" it's all over the place.

the act of giving thanks seems to be unquestionably connected to the act of recognizing his goodness and his steadfast love. why? because, unlike our circumstances, those things are unchanging. i think that's why paul was able to write, "give thanks in all circumstances" (1 thessalonians 5.18) -- because we're not necessarily giving thanks for the circumstances, but for the one who doesn't change even when our circumstances do.

the author of psalm 100 seems to get this connection, too. he calls us to enter the lord's presence with thanksgiving and praise -- why? not because of who we are, what our circumstances are, or how we feel, but because of who the lord is -- the lord is god, he made us, he is good, his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness extends to all generations.

at times, i've for sure questioned his goodness, love, and faithfulness in my life, but i wonder if that's because in those times i've looked for evidences of his goodness, love, and faithfulness in my circumstances, rather than in his character.

i'm in the process of re-learning these things. i feel like i'm learning how to recognize his goodness, love, and faithfulness all over again -- as if for the first time -- and the psalmist was right, the only proper response seems to be praise and thanksgiving.

"The highest form of prayer is to the goodness of God... God only desires that our soul cling to him with all of its strength, in particular, that it clings to his goodness. For of all the things our minds can think about God, it is thinking upon his goodness that pleases him most and brings the most profit to our soul." -- Julian of Norwich, quoted in "one thousand gifts"