|
Now Thank We All Our God (UM Hymnal #102)
The Thirty Year’s War, a brutal war between Roman Catholic and Protestant territories in Europe, was violent and gruesome. Casualties on both sides were significant, and many more perished in plagues and famines, too. On the eve of this great war, Martin Rinkart, a Lutheran pastor, musician, writer, and theologian, came to the walled, overcrowded town of Eilenburg, Germany with the intent to serve his people.
In 1637 a great pestilence struck the town, and thousands died that year. The other clergy of Eilenburg either fled or died, and Rinkart was left to minister alone. He performed 50-60 funerals a day and more than 4000 funerals that year. One of them was for his wife.
In the aftermath of this grave and monstrous suffering and in the face of such a horrendous war, pestilence, and famine, Martin Rinkart wrote a hymn of gratitude. How could he do that? How could he give thanks to God out of such a tragedy? If Pastor Rinkart could give thanks for God’s countless gifts of love even in the face of such horrendous events, then we can look around and find many things for which we’re thankful. With this context in mind, let us meditate on the verses of this hymn today.
Reflection and Prayer: Now Thank We All Our God
Click to listen Now Thanks We All Our God
Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done, in whom His world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;
and keep us still in grace, and guide us when perplexed;
and free us from all ills, in this world and the next.
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
the Son, and him who reigns with them in highest heaven;
the one eternal God, whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.
| 
