Wednesday, November 25, 2020
It Will Be Different: A Prayer
O Lord, it will be different this year,
Thanksgiving
will be different;
the coronavirus making it different,
so many lives lost,
so many grieving,
grieving not only the loss of life but
the loss of a job,
the loss of security,
the loss of the life they once knew,
not even able to gather tomorrow with those we
want to gather with,
too risky,
so much that is risky today,
certainty gone;
and political turmoil
making it different,
so much up in the air,
not sure what the future holds,
not sure if things will ever calm down;
and other things
making it different,
a diagnosis we can’t quite believe,
a family not the same family,
relationships undone;
all of it
maybe making us
wonder
if we can honestly
give thanks
at all
this year.
And so help us, O Lord, to see
that this year
might be a year
when our giving thanks
will be
more honest
than ever,
because
often
our giving thanks is not very honest,
just words,
more trite than truthful,
words spoke
only
when we get what we want,
things go our way,
things run smoothly,
more like
a quick nod in your direction,
acknowledging
blessings
that seem only right for us to receive,
thankful for the
gifts
but not you, the
Giver
of the gifts.
But this year different,
a hard year for many,
few gifts or blessings,
the bottom falling out,
no easy thankfulness,
if thankful at all,
then truly thankful
thankful
for You,
your love,
your presence that has seen them through,
an honest thankfulness,
deeply felt,
not just words.
O Lord, help each of us, in our own way,
express our thankfulness,
not just tonight or tomorrow,
but every day
with all honesty:
our thankfulness
for this land,
beautiful and free,
despite the turmoil and problems and uncertainty
we face,
so thankful
that we work together with all
to make it a more perfect union;
our thankfulness
for family and friends,
and the unexpected kindness of strangers,
the love of so many;
our thankfulness
for your faithfulness to us,
raising us up
again and again
out of darkness or pain or emptiness,
healing us
again and again
in the way most needed,
delivering us
again and again
out of our sin and
foolishness
unto new life, new hope, new possibility.
O Lord, tomorrow will certainly be different for
those battling the coronavirus,
those caring for them,
those mourning the loss of someone to the virus,
those suffering hardship because of the virus,
those isolated and alone.
Being thankful
probably won't come easy for them,
but we pray
that in their fear or weariness or grief or pain or loneliness
they will know
that you are there with them
and you will heal and sustain an comfort
them in it all.
And move us
to be there for them
in whatever way we can
offering healing and sustenance and comfort
however and wherever we can,
and be a gift
to them,
reminding them of
You,
the Giver
of all good gifts.
O Lord, Thanksgiving will be different this year,
maybe the best Thanksgiving
in a good while,
a Thanksgiving
of true
thanksgiving
for you
and your presence
with us
in all circumstances.
Amen.