“And in our gratitude, make us to be instruments of your peace.” A photo essay features the words to a reflection perfect for sharing in this season of thanks. (click for more)
While November marks a celebration of thanksgiving in the U.S., finding time to thank God is part of our daily discipline as United Methodists. This video meditation features a shortened version of a prayer of thanksgiving. You are encouraged to share or download this video to use in Sunday School classes, before or during worship, or with your friends and family. It is also available in Spanish. View more at umc.org/videos Read the Terms of Use
A Thanksgiving Prayer
(by Rev. Linda McDermott, First United Methodist Church, Fort Worth, Texas)
God who loves us, who deserves our gratitude for so much that is good,
We offer our prayers of thanksgiving to you:
For the beauty of the earth — bright orange leaves mixed with green, a gentle rain, a spider’s delicate web.
For friends, for family, even acquaintances who offer us kindness, who bring us laughter, who hold us to a higher standard.
Lord of all that is good and nourishing to our well being, we give you thanks.
How we must try your patience with our pettiness!
All of life is a wonder. The very breath we take, the ability to rouse ourselves each new day, a single blade of grass that holds such miracles of symmetry, a tiny distant star whose real size boggles our minds.
We take our lives for granted — as if it were our right, and not our gift.
We take our days and our loves and our passions for granted — as if tomorrow will verify their importance and our present moments have other things to occupy us.
Gracious God, who lavishes goodness upon us even in some of our darkest moments, help us to see your goodness, remind us to have grateful hearts, give us receptive minds, and grant us ever-gracious ways of living in harmony with each other.
And in our gratitude, make us to be instruments of your peace.
Amen.
The images in the video meditation were taken by photographers from various United Methodist agencies and conferences.
This video was produced by United Methodist Communications in Nashville, TN.
This video was first posted in October, 2015.