Singing Praises, Part II

     Since we've all been focused on food, here's a bit more thanksgiving food for thought on singing our praises.
     One of the hymns we sang on Thanksgiving is the great old one, "Now Thank We All Our God."  A Lutheran pastor in the tiny village of Eilenberg,  Saxony, by the name of of Martin Rinkart (1586-1649) wrote it.  His father was a poor coppersmith, but Rinkart knew God was calling him to the ministry.  After his theological training, he began his work as a pastor--right in the midst of the fierce and devastating Thirty Years in Germany.  Here's the story behind the hymn, as told by Robert Morgan:
     "Floods of refugees steamed into the walled city of Eilenberg.  It was the most desperate of times.  The Swedish army encompassed the city gates, and inside the walls there was nothing but plague, famine, and fear.  Eight hundred homes were destroyed, and people began dying in increasing numbers.  There was a tremendous strain on the pastors, who expended all their strength in preaching the gospel, caring for the sick and dying and burying the dead.  One after another, the pastors themselves took ill and perished until at last only Martin Rinkart was left.  Some days he conducted as many as fifty funerals.
     Finally the Swedes demanded a huge ransom.  It was Martin Rinkart who left the safety of the city walls to negotiate with the enemy, and he did it with such courage and faith that there was soon a conclusion of hostilities and the period of suffering ended.
     Rinkart, knowing there was no healing without thanksgiving, composed this hymn for the survivors of Eilenberg.  It has been sung around the world ever since."
   
     Pretty good stuff, huh?  If they could sing praises to God in the midst of such horror and devastation, then surely can't we?
     By the way, do you know when our nation first established an official annual celebration of Thanksgiving Day?  1863--right in the midst of the horrific sorrow and suffering of the Civil War.  Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November "a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father."  
     Such is our great heritage; such is our great, Beneficent, and forever worthy Father.  Might we today add our praises to the chorus throughout the ages.  To God be the glory.