My Personal Thanksgiving Day Prayer

Oh Father… prayer, praise, and thanksgiving… It has been said* that praise and thanksgiving are so nearly alike that they are virtually indistinguishable… And so it is with praise and thanksgiving that I lift my prayer to You on this “day” set aside for “Thanksgiving.”

Father, I am so thankful for this gathering of family. Our “circles” intertwine through birth and marriage, but our hearts join together through love - love for each other, and love for You. And we thank You for that.

Lord, there are no “ill feelings” in this room today. And we thank You for that, too. We have so much to be thankful for. The bounty of food that we have is amazing, but what is so overwhelming is that we are blessed with the ability and the freedom to have this much every day if we so desired.

And our health… Lord, we all have our aches and pains, but we are here… and not sitting in a hospital room, or planning a loved one’s funeral…

God! Who are we to have been so blessed?

So Lord, as we pause to pray, to praise, and to give thanks, let us remember to lift up those for whom the day is a hellish nightmare; and those who will struggle with finding enough food for this one day; and those who, for whatever reason, are away from their families this day.

As we eat and laugh and enjoy one another’s company this afternoon, let us remember that this day (as every day) is an undeserved gift that You’ve given us. Let us not take that for granted, but let us lift our hearts in prayer, and praise and thanksgiving to You this and every day.

In Jesus’ Name - amen


*From E.M. Bounds “The Essentials of Prayer.”