Thanksgiving Prayer for Life and Love
Here's a prayer of gratitude for God's abundant blessings, from life to love to labor to lordship. Use it on Thanksgiving or any other day.
Heavenly Father, we pause to thank you for your blessings,
for out of your power, you made us alive,
out of your presence, you caused us to be loved,
from your wisdom, you gave us meaningful work,
and from your heart, you allowed us to know you.
Heavenly Father, thank you for making us alive,
for knitting us together in our mother’s womb regardless of the manner of our birth,
for numbering the days of our lives so they complete a perfect count,
for holding us and all things together by the power of your word,
for setting us in the times and places that you have. (1)
Heavenly Father, thank you for causing us to be loved,
for loving us first before we knew what love was,
for the times we were lost but the touch of your presence brought us home,
for kneading love through others so we don’t feel alone,
for loving the world so much that you sent your son. (2)
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us meaningful work,
for granting us vocations in which to spend ourselves,
for portioning out gifts and the good works on which to use them,
for the dignity and wisdom of a hard day’s work,
for helping us rejoice in ordinary labor, which is its own reward. (3)
Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to know you,
for drawing us to you when we often draw away,
for sending us your Spirit to remind us of your ways,
for giving us your word that speaks the mind of God,
for revealing yourself, a Holy God, through your son. (4)
Heavenly Father, we thank you for all these things,
for the joy of being alive,
the wonder of being loved,
the worship of meaningful work,
and the grace of knowing you.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Bible references:
(1) Genesis 2:7; Psalm 139:13,16; Colossians 1:17; Acts 17:26
(2) 1 John 4:19; Luke 15:3-7; 1 Peter 1:22; Galatians 6:2; John 3:16
(3) Genesis 2:15; Romans 12:4-7; Ephesians 2:10; Nehemiah 3; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 7:20
(4) John 6:44,12:32,14:26; Acts 1:4-5; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:2; Colossians 1:15,19