Giving Thanks Opens The Door

This morning I was feeling a bit disconnected from the Lord. I felt led to read on thanksgiving.

(NIV)1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? [17] Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.

I had heard this phrase before, but it hadn't really struck me as it does this morning. The early church called the cup of wine, symbolizing Jesus' blood, the cup of thanksgiving. The NASB translates it the cup of blessing, which appears closer to the Greek. The Greek word is Eulogia, pronounced: yoo-log-ee'-ah

Definition
1. praise, laudation, panegyric: of Christ or God
2. fine discourse, polished language
3. an invocation of blessing, benediction
4. consecration
5. a (concrete) blessing, benefit

So in reality, its both outgoing and incoming. Outgoing praise, thanks and celebration for what has been accomplished. It is also blessing and continual benefit from God to those who participate. What an awesome deal, as we praise God and give thanks for what He has done, we in turn receive continued blessing.

I am reminded of Psalm 100:

(NIV)Psalm 100:1-5
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. [2] Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. [3] Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. [4] Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. [5] For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Specifically, verse four states that we enter into His gates and courts through thanksgiving and praise, in other words we enter into His presence, where we experience His love, goodness and faithfulness. In His presence we are blessed and touched and changed. So, in a very real sense, this is the same experience we have when we share the bread and wine, we are thanking Him for the incredible blessing we have received; we are in His presence, literally; we receive continued blessing from Him.

Lord, we desire to be in Your presense, and we claim the promise of Psalm 100:4 that we can open the door with thanksgiving and enter into Your presence with praise.