A Hymn Of Thanksgiving
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a story about Martin Rinkart who lived in the 1600s during the Thirty Years War. A terrible plague hit his city, and Rinkart was the only surviving pastor. He performed more than 4,000 funerals in one year, including that of his wife. But he did not have a “woe is me” attitude. Instead, Pastor Rinkart wrote a hymn, and listen to these words: “Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things has done, in whom this world rejoices.” I share this with you today because I want you to know – and let this sink in – you are not the first who has suffered. There are many others who have suffered far worse than what you and I are facing today. So, whatever this season may hold, remember the courage and character of Pastor Rinkart. And like him, may there not be a hint of “woe is me.”
