Christ the King Sunday
Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, In whom his world rejoices;
Who, from our mothers’ arms, Has blest us on our way
With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today.
– “Now Thank We All Our God”
– Text: Martin Rinkhart, 1586-1649
– Tune: Johann Cruger, 1598 – 1662
This hymn of thanksgiving and praise to our generous and loving God has a timeless quality that speaks to generations of believers across the centuries. The text and tune were written by men who lived over 400 years ago, and yet we have no problem understanding what they are saying. The melody has a deliberate pace, as though we should sing it with a sense of thoughtfulness, taking the time to hear the words. I love the feeling of connection with those who sang this, as they were probably first- and second-generation Lutherans. We can create a little timeline, since we know that approximately 70+ years earlier, (Oct. 31, 1517) Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door and set in motion the events that led to the Protestant Reformation.
Written long before the American holiday tradition of setting aside one day a year to give thanks and show appreciation for the many blessings in our lives, this hymn gives us the words with which to express our gratitude to God. We give thanks from our hearts, deeply and sincerely grateful. We give thanks with our hands, lending help and comfort to those in need. We give thanks with our voices, sharing God’s words of love, forgiveness, and acceptance to all. The next two lines are a beautiful and personal expression of how God’s blessings are showered upon each of us from earliest childhood and throughout our lives. We are further assured that his love is never-ending and that he will never leave us.
Throughout the years, my own family’s thanksgiving table prayers have varied considerably, as we’ve been privileged to be gathered around many different tables. We’ve traveled to be with relatives, we’ve been happy to be “just us†at home, and we’ve brought together a joyful assortment of friends and family to share a meal and time together. But wherever we’ve been, and whoever we’re with, the moment comes when we stop, we become quiet and thoughtful, and thanks are offered. This hymn (only three verses) is as meaningful and relevant today as in the century in which it was written, and these words could be a most appropriate blessing for our gatherings this year.
Thankful for every one of you,
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers