“Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices.
Who wondrous things has done; in Whom our world rejoices.
Who from our mother’s arms has blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, which still are ours today.” -Martin Rinkart
This beautiful hymn was written in the early 17th century by a Lutheran pastor in Germany. Pastor Rinkart lived in a refugee city enduring severe famine, pandemic disease and war. At one point he was the only remaining clergyman and performed over 4000 funerals one year. One of those was his dear wife’s funeral.
So while all around him is death, loss, suffering, hunger and hardship, this was how he saw things. This is what his heart believed. This is what his tongue confessed.
Laughing Until I Cry 