The Thirty Years War in Europe in the 1600’s was a time of famine and terrible epidemics. Tens of thousands of lives were lost.

To give you an idea of how bad it was, a godly pastor named Martin Rinkart, conducted 5,000 funerals in one year for the people of his parish. In the midst of that misery, he wrote these words:

Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done,
In whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms,
Hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours today.

Martin Rinkert lived in a time of seemingly hopeless circumstances yet he trusted God. And that trust is the secret to thankfulness.