Blessings: A Prayer For Thanksgiving

Those of you who've known me long will know how much I enjoy the book "The Valley of Vision." It is a volume of Puritan prayers that have been assembled by Arthur Bennett.

As we Americans prepare for Thanksgiving Day tomorrow, I wanted to share with you a prayer from this wonderful book. The prayer is entitled, "Blessings."

BLESSINGS

Thou Great Three-One,
Author of all blessings I enjoy, of all I hope for,
Thou hast taught me
that neither the experience of present evils,
nor the remembrances of former sins,
nor the remonstrances of friends,
will or can affect a sinner's heart,
except thou vouchsafe to reveal thy grace
and quicken the dead in sin
by the effectual working of thy Spirit's power.
Thou hast shown me
that the sensible effusions of divine love in the soul
are superior to and distinct from bodily health,
and that oft-times spiritual comforts are at their highest
when physical well-being is at its lowest.
Thou hast given me the ordinance of song as a means of grace;
Fit me to bear my part in that music ever new,
which elect angels and saints made perfect
now sing before they throne and before the Lamb.
I bless thee for tempering every distress with joy;
too much of the former might weigh me down
too much of the latter might puff me up;
Thou art wise to give me a taste of both.
I love thee
for giving me clusters of grapes in the wilderness,
and drops of heavenly wine
that set me longing to have my fill.
Apart from thee I quickly die,
bereft of thee I starve,
far from thee I thirst and droop;
But thou art all I need.
Let me continually grasp the promise
'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."

May the God of all good gifts be the root of all you are thankful for as you celebrate His graciousness tomorrow!