(Editor’s Note: Chicago Tribune columnist Joan Beck annually penned a list of things for which she was grateful, letting lines from a few famous hymns to guide her prayer. With appreciation, we borrow her literary form for our own version again this year.)
As we gather together to count the Lord’s blessings, 396 years after the first Thanksgiving day, we are thankful once again that our forefathers brought forth on this continent a new nation… that survives even today, twelve score years later,
still committed as one nation, despite our divisions,
still committed to the proposition that all people are created equal,
still committed to pursuit of life, the cardinal freedoms, and happiness.
Our fathers’ God, to Thee, Author of Liberty, we are grateful—
For the rule of law and peaceful transfer of power,
for the right to vote, and whether we win or lose, we’re still one nation under God;
That truth, justice, and the American way, mystifying it at times may be
Is God’s gift, this noble attempt to govern well through liberty.
O Lord My God, when we in awesome wonder consider—
this year’s progress with cancer drugs, loyal dogs and healing hugs;
children raised with tender care, troops come home in answered prayer,
dear souls saved by God above…this is amazing grace, unfailing love.
O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come;
Wins we never dreamed came true, this was the year for champions:
Gymnasts, Phelps, and medals gold, victory laps and stories told
Of dedication’s sure reward, winners crowned and loss consoled;
Several million voices raised, the whole state rings with the praise;
Holy cow! a chant sublime, Go, Cubs, Go! It’s about time.
Count your blessings, name them one by one…
the bills were paid, the taxes too, the floors were sound, the roof was sure;
with many homeless, we were “homed,” many hungry, we were fed.
So thank you, Lord, for my three squares, Pease’s candy, deep-dish pizza,
Horseshoes, cornbread, and Cracker Barrel.
Forgive the irony, but thank you, too, for insulin and athletic shoes,
which we’ll use next year.
Surely, there are 10,000 reasons for my heart to say…Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
In Christ alone my hope is found…and in a year of uncertainty, we have learned again the meaning of sovereignty, that God’s in charge whatever man plans, when the world’s unsafe we rest in Your hands. At day’s end with the lights turned out, we hold this blessed assurance close, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Eric Reed is editor of the Illinois Baptist.
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