Now that we are all stuck at home, I have had plenty of time to go over items in my folders and steamer trunk. It is fun going through old pictures that felt like they were taken yesterday but are actually from 25 years ago.
I came across a very important keepsake of mine. My great grandfather’s prayer book from the year 1915. My grandmother gave it to me and she has held on to it all these years so I was honored when she let me have it.
It is pretty well weathered but is still in OK shape considering he carried it around so much. I have included some photos of it below.
The folded marked page has “Prayers to be Used in Families: Morning Prayer” and is followed by what many of us now refer to as “The Lord’s Prayer”.
The second prayer really resonated with me in these troubling times of pandemic. It reads: “Almighty and everlasting God in whom we live and move and have our being; We, thy needy creatures, render thee our humble praises, for thy preservation of us from the beginning of our lives to this day, and especially for having delivered us from the dangers of the past night. To thy watchful providence do we owe it, that no disturbance hath come nigh us or our dwelling: but that we are brought in safety to the beginning of this day. For these thy mercies, we bless and magnify thy glorious Name; humbly beseeching thee to accept this our morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; for his sake who lay down in the grave, and rose again for us, thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.”
It makes me think. With the threat of disease looming and the death toll from the virus at just over 53,000 souls (and unfortunately many more to follow), I believe it is a time to turn even more to God and rejoice in him. Praise his name. We are alive. And even if we die, that is not the end. To be a part of this creation is the gift. Praise almighty God. Praise his son Jesus Christ who offers us salvation.
