Gracious and Loving God,
We come before you this morning with hearts full of gratitude, acknowledging your presence among us in this sacred moment. We pause to reflect on the many ways you have blessed us, surrounded us, and carried us through the challenges of life. Just as the Psalmist invites us to, we open our hearts in worship and song, “O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.”
We give thanks for the abundance of life, for the air we breathe, the food on our tables, and the love that surrounds us. But, most of all, we give thanks for your unwavering faithfulness, your steadfast presence, and your unending grace that lifts us up even when we falter. We are mindful, God, that all we have comes from you, our Creator and Sustainer, the One who made us and calls us beloved.
In this season of Thanksgiving, we are reminded of your words through the prophet Joel, who proclaimed, “Do not fear, O soil; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things.” You have, indeed, done great things, God. You restore what is broken, you heal what is wounded, and you offer hope to the hopeless. You call us to look beyond our individual lives and see the broader picture, to notice the world around us, the land that provides for us, the people that sustain us, and the natural world that we are called to cherish.
We give thanks for the seasons that change and the harvests that fill our hearts and our pantries. But we also give thanks for the spiritual harvest, the fruits of justice, compassion, and mercy that grow in our lives as we seek to live out your love. Just as the earth rejoices in the rain and the renewal that comes with it, so too, we rejoice in the renewal of our spirits that comes through your presence. You, O God, are our provider and our guide, and we acknowledge your power and glory.
We thank you, God, for the promise of restoration. We hear you say in Joel’s words, “I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten.” You are indeed a God of restoration, a God who does not abandon us, but seeks to heal and restore what is lost. In the midst of our pain and grief, you remind us that we are not forgotten. You bring us back to life, just as the rain brings life to the earth. For this, we give thanks.
As we offer our gratitude, we also lift up those who are struggling. We think of those who are weary, those who are hungry, those who are alone, and those who face injustice. We pray that your abundant mercy might surround them, that your justice might flow like a mighty stream, and that your peace might reign in their hearts.
God, as we reflect on your goodness and your faithfulness, we are reminded of the prayers that have been offered through the ages, prayers that call us to be your people, to live in your love, and to trust in your ways. And so, we now join our voices in the prayer that Jesus taught us to say together:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
And the glory, forever and ever. Amen.