Prayer of thanks for the first week of Advent by Eric Stedfeld

I was glad when they said unto me, "let us go into the house of the Lord, where the tribes of the Lord go up, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord." For there are set thrones of judgment. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.

Loving Father, Gracious Lord:

Thank you for your care for us, and for being a secure refuge in time of trouble. In your justice please show mercy for those who are oppressed and suffering. Grant your peace in the world, not due to any merits of your creation or of your children, but in the reconciliation you provided through Christ your son, whose birth we celebrate as we enter this Advent season. By taking on flesh and suffering the punishment we deserve for our sins, securing our redemption, the law is fulfilled in love. Thank you for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. Show us also, how to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Thank you for the opportunity this past week to remember your many blessings. Thank you for all your gifts so freely bestowed on us: life and health and safety, work and rest – and for all that is beautiful in creation and in the lives of people we praise and glorify your holy name. We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone. Give us thankful hearts full of gratitude towards you, and help us to become blessings to others as well, seeking out opportunities to serve them and you.

Be with your children around the world, and those in leadership in the church, that they may express your truth in their guidance and teachings. Grant us all the opportunity to exercise those spiritual gifts that you give through your holy spirit. Show us how we can encourage one another to reflect a godly character in our lives and interactions with others, and grow in grace. And guide us locally at our home church, in our ministry and outreach to our neighbors around us.

Fill our hearts with all joy and peace in believing, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Poem from A Ballad-maker's Pack, 1921, by Arthur Guiterman, 1871-1943

The First Thanksgiving Day
Boston, 1631

The curse of Cain was on the earth;
  The leaden heavens frowned;
The Winter closed with cruel dearth
  And gripped the fruitless ground.

Behind us rose the somber wood,
  Before us stretched the foam -
A thousand leagues of briny flood
  That sundered us from Home.

The meager mussel was our meat;
  We robbed the squirrel's hoard;
Our barren glebe beneath our feet,
  We cried upon the Lord.

"Arouse your souls against despair,"
  The godly Winthrop said,
"And chuse a day of fast and prayer;
  For surely, He who led

"Our wanderings across the wave
  Shall hear us when we plead,
And stretch a mighty arm to save
  His people in their need."

Behold! when all is bleak and drear
  And want assails the land,
How God delighteth to appear
  To work with wondrous hand!

For, even as we made to deal
  To one that hungered sore
The utmost handful of our meal,
  A shout arose from shore.

An hundred watching eyes descried
  Through Winter's misty pall
The good ship Lion breast the tide
  With provender for all.

Then joined the voice of first and least
  A hymn of thanks to raise;
Our day of Fasting changed to Feast
  And Prayer gave way to Praise.

So, once in every year we throng,
  Upon a day apart,
To praise the Lord with feast and song
  In thankfulness of heart.

Orthodox prayer of thanksgiving after deliverance from trouble

Almighty and merciful God, I most humbly and heartily thank Your divine majesty for Your loving kindness and tender mercies, that You have heard my humble prayer, and graciously granted me deliverance from my trouble and misery. I pray to you to continue granting Your helping grace, that I may lead a life pleasing to You, ever remembering Your mercies, and the blessings You have undeservedly bestowed upon me, that I may continually offer to You the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.