by Steven Davis
As we move into Thanksgiving and Christmas, a question arises: How thankful are you? Are you occasionally thankful? Rarely thankful? Begrudgingly thankful? Or maybe—completely thankful? Of course we want to be completely thankful, especially when it comes to expressing our thanks to God. So how can we do that? Only when we come with our whole hearts.
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. (Psalm 9:1 NASB)
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. (Psalm 86:12)
Praise the Lord! I’ll give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly. (Psalm 111:1)
The Psalmist described giving thanks to the Lord with “all my heart.” And that includes taking some significant action steps. David said he would “tell of all Your wonders.” Tell is actually an accounting word, and most often is translated as the word count. David counted all of God’s wonders—things too marvelous to even comprehend.
Next, he said he would “glorify Your name forever.” Forever… That’s a long time. These are huge tasks. But then David reminded us to do them “in the company of the upright.” When we meet with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we’re to be thankful together.
But that’s not the only time and place we should proclaim our thanks:
I will give You thanks with all my heart. I’ll sing praises to you before the gods. (Psalm 138:1)
Giving thanks not only takes place with God’s people, but it should take place before the gods—that’s gods with a little g. When we give thanks with our whole heart and all of our actions, unbelievers are able to see that the God we worship is greater than any idol that could ever be imagined. We worship God—with a big G.
Telling of all His wonders, glorifying Him forever and giving thanks before sinner and saint alike. How is that even possible?
For God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God’s gift to us. (Romans 5:5 GNT)
You can do all this because He has poured His love into your heart. That kind of love—that magnitude of love—will change your heart forever. And that is why you can do all these things—and more—with all your heart.
May God’s love empower you to thankfulness with all your heart.
In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
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