Giving Thanks
/Rev. Eric Folkerth
“For all that has been — Thanks.
For all that shall be — Yes.”
This is a quote from Dag Hammarskjöld. For years, he was Secretary General of the United Nations. After his death, his family published his journals as a book called “Markings.”
This is a quote that he used to start off many new journal books on the first day of a New Year…
“For all that has been — Thanks.
For all that shall be — Yes.”
I shamelessly stole his idea, and for many years this was also the first new journal entry for me every year. (I must admit, I’ve fallen off in the practice a bit in recent years…)
But I love the sentiment.
At the start of a New Year, there is really no better prayer of thanks that we can offer to God.
Maybe terrible and tragic things happened to you this past year. Maybe there are challenges that you’ve been facing for *many* years now. The reality is, however, that you would not be who you are today without the bad and the good. Every single moment thus far in life has led you to *this* moment, and this coming year.
And so, even for the difficult parts of life, let us give thanks for what we can learn and grow and incorporate into a new and hopeful year in 2020.
I tend to think it will be a good one for our Church, and I’m looking forward to it.
On Sunday, we’ll celebrate “The Epiphany,” the Coming of the Wise Men. And we’ll also participate in prayer John Wesley’s classic Covenant Prayer. It’s way that Methodists have started off the new year for more than 200 years. And, actually, it’s very much the same sentiment as the quote from Dag Hammarskjöld.
I’ll end with Wesley’s Prayer, and hope to see you all on Sunday:
“I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
Exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O Glorious and blessed God,Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,Thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.”