Enter His Gates With Thanksgiving.

Psalm 100, NIV

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his[a];

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Thanks for your service so far etc!

Your first-year review, well the parts that I have been part of have been a privilege to be part of. The sessions have resulted in some very good feedback to those of us who were sitting in on the meetings that will result in quite a bit of follow up and some subtle change to the way some things are done. There was obviously many hours of research and reflection. I learnt a new term myself, that of action/reflection.

This final reflection now is going to be about stepping back into your appointments not from a place of getting back into the hard graft of officership but celebrating the unique privilege you have as Salvation Army officers. As Salvation Army officers we have been called into the honour of being in full time service for the Lord.

If we look to the Lord as the Psalmist says, we are his, his people the sheep of his pasture. All the more as officers we are called to leadership of his people also. We are able to live in the position of privilege before God of bringing the ‘good news’ of the gospel of Jesus.

The way to address the challenges that you have meet is to see them all as opportunities to minister, sometimes ministering to yourselves, opportunities to listen to God’s still small voice for direction, but also to know his leading. There is joy and definite life purpose in your being able to do what you do, what you do has eternal consequences and is the main thing of all things here on earth. The outcomes of your lives result in rejoicing among the angels of heaven. (Luke 15:10).

I would like to encourage you in times of struggle, because these will happen, times when you are challenged, times when because you are the person in ministry when you are expected to have all the answers, but they are just out of reach, times when the pressure is on to look again at the call that God has placed upon your lives and rejoice. James, Jesus brother James said this. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2).

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

As you respond to the voice of God, as you minister his word, remaining in the place of joy that is found in the company of the very Spirit of God, may you know that joy as you respond to your calling.

Find time to rejoice in his presence, giving thanks for your call, praise him for his leading and call. For the relationship that you have with God will be reflected in the lives you lead.

Again I want to thank you for your responding to God’s call on your lives and may you continue to draw near to He who called you.