A Thanksgiving Prayer

Holy God,

Far too often we receive your bountiful blessings without ever pausing to give thanks. As our nation prepares for the Thanksgiving holiday, we, your people, wish to lift our voices in praise and adoration and thanksgiving.

We know, our Father, that everything—every single thing—good comes from your hand (Js 1:17). Your hand gives us far more than we deserve or could ever name, but we do wish to acknowledge some of the bounty we graciously receive from you.

• You love us enough that you willingly sent your only begotten Son into this world to die in our place (Jn 3:16).
• In your Son, you have bestowed on us every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3-10).
• Among those spiritual blessings is the forgiveness of sins we find through the blood of Jesus (Eph 1:7).
• We have a church family to bear our burdens (Gal 6:2) and to encourage us in the paths of righteousness as the as the Day of our redemption nears (Heb 10:25).
• We have good and godly elders who watch over our souls (Heb 13:17).
• We have the answer to prayers (1 Jn 3:22) as our prayers conform to your will (2 Cor 12:8).
• We live in a nation where we have the privilege to worship you freely without the fear of persecution.
• We have an abundance of physical blessings in this nation as you give “fruitful seasons, satisfying [our] hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17).
• We have talents you have given us for use in your kingdom (Rom 12:6-8).
• We have families where we love and forgive and where we are forgiven and loved.
• We have income which eclipses the income for the vast majority of people in this world.
• We have medical expertise where men and women use skills you have given to help heal our bodies of diseases.

Holy Father, thank you for these and the multitude of other blessings you give. Please forgive us when we get shortsighted and fail to see your graciousness in our lives. But Father help us to see your graciousness in our lives, and help us to be ever grateful.

This article was originally written by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., for the weekly newsletter at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.