Last week Theology 101 looked at the varied meanings in the Bible concerning the heart, namely our inner capacities of thinking, choosing and feeling.
This week’s starting point is the declaration of the psalmist in the opening words of Psalm 111: “I will praise the Lord with my whole heart” (v. 1). In light of the “heart” speaking variously of our cognitive, volitional and emotional capabilities, as noted last week, the question for this week is, “What should wholehearted praise look like?”
First, it should engage the mind, thus becoming praise that is thoughtfully framed and offered. This suggests the value of unhurried times of reflection on God’s goodness to us and His provisions for us. The testimony of the psalmist was, “We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness” (Ps. 48:9).
Count your blessings
In the expression of the hymn writer, this calls for counting our many blessings, naming them one by one. It embraces both spiritual and material blessings. It includes people with whom God has surrounded us and events He has allowed to impact us.
Wholehearted praise also ought to exercise the will, being deliberately and intentionally offered.
A well-rounded prayer life includes the thoughtful recollection of God’s blessings over the years, as well as those of the day just ending. We do well to come to personal times of prayer with the predetermined goal of expressing gratitude to God and speaking words of praise to Him.
Thoughtful praise does not limit itself to the material benefits and provisions that flow from God’s hands to our lives. It also includes the intentional naming of His spiritual blessings across the years and as recent as yesterday and today; as well as those His faithfulness will supply in our tomorrows.
Heartfelt and unrestrained
Finally, wholehearted praise is expressed emotionally in that it becomes heartfelt and unrestrained. Such praise can be inwardly real quite apart from outward expressions of emotion, such as might be heard in tremors of the voice, shown through tears or laughter or accompanied by bodily gestures such as raised hands.
While such physical responses may well occur, they are not essential to genuine, heartfelt praise. We must be careful that praising God does not become a performance or pretense either in context or content.
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