A Thanksgiving Prayer

 A Thanksgiving Prayer

November 22, 2012

 Now thank we all our God

With heart and hands and voices,

Who wondrous things has done,

In whom his world rejoices,

Who from our mother’s arms

Have blessed us on our way

With countless gifts of love

And still is ours today.

(Christian Worship pg. 610)

Who from our mother's arms...

Dear Heavenly Father,

You are a great and awesome God. All that we are and all that we have comes from you. Without your presence life on this earth would be a miserable existence.

We come to you today in thankfulness for the many gifts you give us daily. We so often take for granted our warm homes in the winter, the car we drive, the job which provides for our needs, the freedom we have to come and go as we please, grocery stores filled with food, our health, our families, the sunshine, the moon, the stars, the rain, the snow, the birds singing beautifully each morning, the mountains, lakes, streams, and oceans. We sometimes forget that all of these wonderful gifts come from you.

We will soon be celebrating the birth of your Son the best gift of all, who gave up His glory for a time and came in human form into a sinful and imperfect world. He lived the perfect and sinless life which we, because of our inherited sinful nature are unable to live. He was persecuted and suffered the punishment we deserve for sin by suffering and dying on the cross in our place - and he did it willingly! He then conquered death and Satan by rising to life three days later. I will put enmity [Jesus] between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your [Satan’s] head, and you will strike his [Jesus’]heel (Genesis 3:15).

The gift of grace...

Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, all people are offered the free gift of eternal salvation by your grace and through faith in Him. We pray that you would lead those who don’t yet know you to open the gift you offer which is set before them in your holy Word and make their hearts receptive to your Holy Spirit.

Lead those of us who do know you to reflect your love and grace to each person we meet. Help us to shine your light in this dark and evil world remembering that each soul is loved by you as if he/she were your only child. Help us to respond, out of thankfulness to you, with generous and loving hearts toward others.

...offered freely in your Word

Surround us with your love and keep us always in your grace. Amen

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 17:8)