Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

As I was preparing some of the dishes for our feast today, I had CBS on the television, of course anticipating the Macy's Day Parade.

Anne Graham Lotz read a prayer written by her precious father, Reverend Billy Graham, who at 90 yrs old is too frail to make appearances and give the thanks himself. What a godly man who has lived his entire life working unceasingly because indeed, the fields are white with harvest.

I tried to find a copy of the prayer on the Internet to share with you because it was so wonderful but I haven't been able to locate it yet. In thankfulness for all that God has blessed us with, I thought this was an appropriate alternative.

Won't you meditate on these wonderful words as you gather with friends and family:


We Gather Together

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,
Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side, All glory be thine!

We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
Amen

--Traditional Thanksgiving Hymn
(A translation by Theodore Baker: 1851-1934)


2 comments:

Janelle Willis Hurt said...

Happy Thanksgiving Cookie!
Billy Graham has to be one of God's greatest evangelists of all time - from the beginning of time!
It was at one of his crusades, that my daddy felt the call to preach, and I have a pic of Billy Graham from the early 50's that daddy took at that crusade.
I had the priveledge of hearing him here in Orlando back in the early 80s, and give him credit for helping me get my life back on track with the Lord.
I'd love to see that prayer if you find it!

Love ya girlie
Janelle

Anonymous said...

I too felt very touched by the prayer, and have been searching for it all morning to pass along

Tanya, Dallas