I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. (rf. Ps. 9:1–2 NASB)
It is unfortunate that November presents us with one of the few times of the year when being thankful comes to the forefront of our lives. The retail establishment has already diminished the importance of Thanksgiving by focusing more on the Christmas buying season to maximize sales and profits. The world has much for which to be thankful yet having very little impetus to do so while largely having no clue as to whom their thankfulness should be directed.
The Psalmist above gives the follower of the Lord strong encouragement to be thankful. He points out that the starting place of gratitude is in the heart. Possessing an attitude of appreciation is a “whole-hearted” pursuit (“I will give thanks…with all my heart”) as well as the personal experience of gladness as a result (“I will be glad…in You”).
The outward expressions of a thankful heart are shown in one’s desire to give God praise for the benefits experienced at God’s hand (“I will…exult in You”; “I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High”). The person with a heart full of gratefulness is empowered to not only sing forth the greatness of God but to also declare the astounding things He has done for us, individually and corporately as His Church (“I will tell of all Your wonders”).
As Christians we should set the examples of the world and for our families on how to rightly express our appreciativeness to the Lord for the blessings He has given to us. Let the overwhelming distractions be purposefully put aside for a time to allow us to share with our family members and friends just how good God has been to us and the richness we have experienced in being called into His family. Let our Thanksgiving be bathed in an attitude of worship, expressing our heartfelt thankfulness for Him being our God and we being His people.