A Challenge for Thanksgiving and Preparing for Advent

by

Special to United Methodist Insight | Nov. 20, 2024

"Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices, who wondrous things has done, in whom the world rejoices." 

Those words may seem familiar but, as the late Paul Harvey might have said, here's the rest of the story.

The words were written in 1636 by a German clergyman, Martin Rinkart (at right).  The country had been battered by war for decades, a pandemic of the plague had hit and there was widespread famine. Reports indicate that as a result of these crises over 40% of the population died during that time.

Ultimately,  Rinkart was the only clergyman left in town and was conducting nearly 50 funeral services everyday!  We can not begin to imagine the stress or the horror of such a situation but Martin Rinkart never lost his faith, and in order to process his feelings and faith, he wrote a poem which is found on page 102 of the United Methodist Hymnal today.  

"Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,

Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;

Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way

With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

Oh, may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,

With ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;

And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;

And guard us through all ills in this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given,

The Son, and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven—

The one eternal God, Whom earth and Heav’n adore;

For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore."

The challenge: before you pick up your fork to indulge in a magnificent repast on Thanksgiving Day, read aloud to the gathered celebrants the words to Rinkart's poem. Before continuing to find fault with others,  stop and thank God for the infinite and unconditional love that God constantly gives.

In this season of thanks and preparation of Advent, we are invited to call a cease-fire and take a breather from the anger, judgmentalism, confrontation, polarization, and weaponization, and to celebrate that each of us is blessed beyond words.  We get to give thanks and are being called to prepare for a coming Savior.  May we all share a peaceful, reflective and joyous Thanksgiving!

Wil Meiklejohn is a certified lay minister in the Mountain Sky Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church.