{"id":239,"date":"2007-11-23T01:01:58","date_gmt":"2007-11-23T01:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2007\/11\/wholehearted-thanksgiving.html"},"modified":"2007-11-23T01:01:58","modified_gmt":"2007-11-23T01:01:58","slug":"wholehearted-thanksgiving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2007\/11\/wholehearted-thanksgiving.html","title":{"rendered":"Wholehearted Thanksgiving"},"content":{"rendered":"

Praise the LORD!
\nI will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
\nin the company of the upright, in the congregation.
\nGreat are the works of the LORD,
\nstudied by all who delight in them.
\nFull of honor and majesty is his work,
\nand his righteousness endures forever.
\nHe has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;
\nthe LORD is gracious and merciful.
\nHe provides food for those who fear him;
\nhe is ever mindful of his covenant.
\nHe has shown his people the power of his works,
\nin giving them the heritage of the nations.
\nThe works of his hands are faithful and just;
\nall his precepts are trustworthy.
\nThey are established forever and ever,
\nto be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
\nHe sent redemption to his people;
\nhe has commanded his covenant forever.
\nHoly and awesome is his name.
\nThe fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
\nall those who practice it have a good understanding.
\nHis praise endures forever.
\nPsalm 111
\nAfter an opening salvo of praise, the Psalmist says, “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart” (v. 1). This isn’t the first time we read this sort of thing in the Psalms. Psalm 9:1 says: “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” Similarly, Psalm 86:12 proclaims, “I give thanks to you, O LORD my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.”
\nSo here’s my question: What does it mean to thank God with my whole heart? Then I have some follow up questions: How can I give thanks wholeheartedly if, in fact, my heart is heavy? What if I’m not feeling very thankful today? Surely I’m not supposed to fake gratitude, as if I could pull the wool over God’s eyes. How can I be authentic before God and still give Him thanks with my whole heart?
\nWe’ll be able to answer these questions if we understand the Hebrew conception of the heart. We translate the Hebrew word leb<\/em> as “heart,” and there are places in the Old Testament where leb is<\/em> associated with emotions. Psalm 13:5, for example, says, “My heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” Yet leb<\/em> in Hebrew means far more than “heart” in English. The leb<\/em> is not merely the seat of the emotions, but also of the will, even the mind. The leb<\/em> is the whole inner person: thoughts, feelings, choices, purposes. In particular, the leb<\/em> is that which guides our actions. It’s what we usually speak of in English as the will.
\nSo, when the Psalmist says, “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,” he’s saying more than, “I will feel very thankful.” Rather, he means, “I will choose to offer thanks to the Lord. I will choose to acknowledge God’s goodness to me, and I will do this with all of my inner strength.”
\nThus, ironically, if you’re feeling down, if you’re not feeling thankful, then you’re in a perfect place to thank the Lord with your whole heart, because you can choose to do this. Indeed, you must choose to thank the Lord, because your emotions alone won’t get you there.
\nNow let me be clear. This doesn’t involve pretending. When we say, “Thank you, Lord,” we’re not necessarily saying, “Oh, Lord, I feel so thankful today. I have all sorts of warm fuzzies inside.” Warm fuzzies, lukewarm fuzzies, or no fuzzies at all, thanking God is saying “You did this, and it’s good, and I acknowledge this.” You may or may not feel anything at the time, but you can always choose to thank God by telling Him the great things He has done.
\nPsalm 111 gives us plenty of help in this regard. Verse 2 reads, “Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.” If you want to give thanks \u2013 indeed, if you want to feel grateful \u2013 begin by studying God’s great works. Remember all of the wonderful things He has done, not only in your life, but also throughout history.
\nWe will thank the LORD with all our hearts when we remember, not only what God has done, but also who He is. Verse 4 makes this clear: “He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the LORD is gracious and merciful.” Did you see the transition there between what God has done \u2013 His wonderful deeds \u2013 and God’s character \u2013 He is gracious and merciful. So we thank the Lord because of who He is, especially for His grace and mercy.
\nThis points us to the center of our reason for wholehearted thanksgiving. As verse 9 reminds us, “He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever.” The Psalmist was no doubt looking back to God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt, and to His establishment of the Mosaic covenant at Sinai shortly thereafter. When we read Psalm 111:9 as Christians, however, we have more to go on than the events of Exodus. We remember the redemption we have through Jesus Christ, whose death brought us out of bondage to sin and death. We celebrate the new covenant in the blood of Christ, through which we have forgiveness and eternal life.
\nSometimes we feel joyful because of our salvation in Christ. That’s one of the reasons we gather for worship, to remember so that we might rejoice. Yet no matter what we may be feeling at any given moment, we can always choose to thank God for what’s true. And what is true? Because God is gracious and merciful, He has redeemed us through Jesus Christ. Moreover, it’s true that God’s mercies are new every morning as He continues to shower us with His good gifts.
\nAnd so we give thanks. We choose to say “thank you” to the Lord. Sometimes we do so when our hearts are soaring with gratitude. Sometimes we do so in the depths of despair. Wholehearted thanksgiving means choosing to remember what God has done and who He is, and to acknowledge His goodness no matter what we feel. Yet, as we do this, even when our hearts are heavy, the act of thanksgiving itself often lifts our hearts. But, even if it doesn’t, we can still thank the Lord with our whole hearts because He deserves it, and because we need it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has gained renown by…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-thanksgiving"],"yoast_head":"\nWholehearted Thanksgiving - Mark D. 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Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=239"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}