Great Questions Group @ MarkDeMatteo.com

(I shared the following message with the GQG back in 2016)

Several years ago now, around this same time of year–right before our Thanksgiving Day holiday here in the USA–I thought I would take some time to really reflect on just a portion of all I had to be grateful for.

As I did, I thought it might be good to write it all down as a prayer of Thanksgiving to our Wonderful God.

Then, I thought it might be worth sharing it with those of you in our GQG.

After doing so, I received quite a bit of grateful feedback and also a number of requests to  record an audio copy of it.

The last time I shared this was in 2014, as I had a different message last year, but since many of you are new, I thought I would share it again.

It has gone through several minor modifications–actually additions–since my original version I shared in 2012, but the essence remains the same.

Furthermore, for those of us which have heard it before–myself included–it is always good to pause, reflect, remember, and then sincerely thank our Great God with heart-felt gratitude for all He continues to provide for us!

A Thanksgiving Prayer 2016

Our Father, which art in Heaven, we thank You:

For this vast Cosmos of space and time, matter and energy, which You created and now sustain through Your wisdom and power.

For this amazing reality called life, in which we now exist, moment by moment, day by day…which only You have given us.

For this marvelous planet called Earth through which You sustain, protect and provide for us.

For sunshine and rain, windy and snowy days, air to breathe, and water to drink, spring flowers, autumn colors, blue skies, white clouds, rainbows, sunsets, moon light and starry nights.

For majestic mountains and painted prairies, lakes and rivers, canyons and forests–from sea to shining sea.

For the living miracle of our physical bodies:

For the more than 100 trillion cells which make up our bones, nerves, muscles, organs, skin, eyes, hair, hands and feet.

For our breath, our heartbeat, for taste, touch, smell, hearing and sight.

For our brains, our minds, and consciousness, for our thoughts, feelings, memories and emotions…

And for the astounding reality that, as complex as they are, our bodies essentially run themselves.

Yet most of all, for the Immortal Soul You have placed inside each one of us Father, which in Your eyes is worth more than all the world.

For our families and friends and all those dear to us…even our pets.

For the amazing gift of love and our ability to experience it–to give it, receive it and share it.

For the privilege of living in what is still, probably the greatest country that has ever existed.

For food, clothing, shelter, and transportation–perhaps all in abundance

For freedom of speech, information, travel, occupation, and worship.

For justice and liberty–in greater abundance than anywhere else on earth.

For every man or woman who has ever served, and perhaps bled and even died on a battlefield to provide us that liberty.

For love and trust, virtue and valor, truth and faithfulness, strength and honor, devotion and sacrifice, and all that is noblest in the human realm.

For the amazing, though oft neglected privilege of talking to You in prayer and thanking You for Your constant, continuous care.

But also, for a day in which we are reminded to pause in thanksgiving and reflect upon how blessed we truly are, all year long.

 Most of all Father, we thank You for the priceless gift of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

For You have granted Eternal Life to each of us who have placed our trust in Him, as our personal Savior.

For Your Word tells us the sober, yet thrilling truth that Jesus is almighty God and that He will indeed, one day soon, return again to this earth.

And this time, He will do so as the Sovereign King and Supreme Judge of the Cosmos.

For Jesus was first the Creator, before He became Savior, for the Scriptures declare that “all things were made by Him” and He is therefore, absolute Lord of all.

And when He does return, He will richly reward those of us who have loved and obeyed Him, but will also be forced to judge and banish into perdition, all who have persisted in rejecting His unprecedented offer of love and forgiveness.

For He will then renew and transform this Cosmos, which is presently wounded by the curse of sin and iniquity, into one so glorious that Bible tells us that “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those that love him”!

And we will inherit a new and everlasting kingdom which has been prepared for us from the foundation of the world, and will live and reign with Him there for ever and ever.   Amen!

Even so, Come, Lord Jesus! 

And until that great day arrives,

May the Lord bless you and keep you;

May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you;

May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

🙂