German pastor Martin Rinkart served in the walled town of Eilenburg during the horrors of the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648. Eilenburg became an overcrowded refuge for the surrounding area. The fugitives suffered from epidemic and famine. At the beginning of 1637, the year of the Great Pestilence, there were four ministers in Eilenburg. But one abandoned his post for healthier areas and could not be persuaded to return. Pastor Rinkhart officiated at the funerals of the other two. As the only pastor left, he often conducted services for as many as 40 to 50 persons a day – some 4,480 in all. In May of that year, his own wife died. By the end of the year, the refugees had to be buried in trenches without services. Yet living in a world dominated by death, Pastor Rinkart wrote the following prayer for his children to offer to the Lord:
Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices;
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom this world rejoices.
Who, from our mother’s arms,
Hath led us on our way,
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours today.
Where would I be without my God today ? Well, I certainly would not be here with my wonderful family He has given me. I would not be the person I am, trying to seek God with all my heart, mind and soul. I could be out in the streets, a product of the drug culture, or in a very unhappy marriage that was not made in heaven. Worse case scenario? I would be dead.
I am so very thankful for my God and all His blessings. Even though I complain about my hurting body and why did I have to get this nasty disease. But with this came a whole new relationship with my Lord and Savior. He was and is the only One Who understood what I felt. He was the only One that was unchangeable in my oh so changeable world. He was the One I felt I could talk incessantly with about how I felt. I did not want to burden my family with this. He took it upon Himself to die all my sins….past, present and future. He did this to secure for me….for me…..to go to Heaven forever….forever……
What do you have to be thankful for?
Comments (6)
I shudder to think where I’d be without the Lord. I have so much to be thankful for it’s hard to express. Life has had it’s turmoils and my hearts been broken many times but through it all it is well with my soul. God loves me, Christ died so I could be reconciled with God. I have not got what I deserved, if I got what I deserved I’d be in a ditch somewhere.
I have relationship with the Creator and Saviour, Bible to know Him, His promises to rely on, His spirit to guide me, Church to fellowship with those who desire to Worship Him, home, family, friends, job, hope, hope and more hope…..so much to be thank-ful for!!!!
A wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving to you and yours!!!
I thank God for my salvation, my wonderful family, my new home & all my many, many blessings!
Happy Thanksgiving to you & your family! Love ya!
Wow girl that was great! What a man of God.
I am thankful for legs that get me where I need to go and want to go. I am thankful for hands that are working good and can be used to serve others.
I am thankful for a warm place to live and plenty of food on our table. I am thankful that He is my God and I am His child. I am thankful for the future that He has prepared for us..and I am thankful that until that day He is holding me safe in the plans He laid for me before I was born.
I love the pic of you & your man! Nice to put a face to the name! Happy Thanksgiving to you & your family — did you survive?
D
Loved your post, Susan. Sorry I didn’t get over here sooner to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, but I rejoice with you in all our blessings, especially our bond as sisters in Christ. Loved that prayer and think I’ll teach it to my granddaughter next time she spends the weekend with us.
love & hugs,
Vicki
Hey girl, love the new look….very festive!
Hope that you are doing good and that you are just supper busy getting all kinds of things done.
Just thinking about you.