Thanksgiving Prayer
Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S. I took the day off yesterday and spent the afternoon making pecan pie and macaroon cookies, and brining my turkey for today. Then today I spent 4 1/2 hours making Thanksgiving dinner for just the three of us. We had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, creamed peas and carrots, and jellied cranberry sauce. (Actually, my husband was the only one who ate the cranberry sauce, but it only required opening a can.)
It took us about 15 minutes to eat dinner! It was really delicious. Now there is a pile of dishes in the kitchen. Which reminds me of the plaque I having hanging in my kitchen that says, “Thank God for dirty dishes, they have a tale to tell. While others may go hungry we are eating very well.”
But Thanksgiving is a day to remember all that we are thankful for, not just the dirty dishes with a tale. My Lutheran Book of Prayer includes a wonderful Thanksgiving Day prayer that I wanted to share today:
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His mercy endures forever. Lord God, Heavenly Father, You have created me and endowed me with all that I am or have as a pure gift of Your “fatherly, divine goodness and mercy,without any merit or worthiness in me.” You sustain me from day to day with the gifts of daily bread in the food that I eat, the family that surrounds me, the friends I enjoy, the country where I live, and countless other benefits that I constantly receive from Your open hand. On this day of Thanksgiving, cause me to gratefully remember the good gifts that You shower upon me. Deepen in me the knowledge of Your goodness, and awaken my heart to praise You for all Your gifts, especially the forgiveness of sins that You have purchased and won for me and the whole world in the atoning death of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Keep me mindful of Your mercies every day, and grant that I may thank, praise, serve, and obey You not only with my lips but also with a life dedicated to the service of my neighbor. To You, O Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, praise and thanksgiving, now and forever. Amen.
Oh, and I’m also thankful that there is still pecan pie for dessert! Praying for a wonderful Thanksgiving Day for all!
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wow, what a prayer! I liked the “You sustain me from day to day” part. 🙂 I am so aware that I wouldn’t make it without Him! ha! God bless you, Linda . . .laughed at your response to the checker!
Deb, All of Martin Luther’s prayers are just awesome! I use them when I do the Prayers of the People at church and people are always telling me how wonderful the prayer was. I have to confess that I borrow heavily from the Lutheran Book of Prayer! Peace, Linda
First, is there another cranberry sauce other than the kind in the can? 🙂
And today I’m holding onto “mindful of your mercies every day” – every day, know it not – he showers us doesn’t he? Thank you Linda.
Craig, The checker at the grocery store on Wednesday told me I should make it homemade. I assured her it was the jellied canned that my husband wanted and I was making enough other things homemade. 🙂
Yes, He does shower us with His mercies whether we realize it or not. For that I am thankful! Peace, Linda