Prayer of Thanks after a Fire Has Been Stopped

O holy and righteous God! Thou hast now executed upon us Thy judgment. Thou wouldest punish, chasten, and make us better. Thou hast, indeed, afflicted us sorely; but Thou hast also done great things for us, so that we are constrained to say, “Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and upright are Thy judgments.” I tremble yet when I recall the crying and sobbing, the weeping and lamentation which but a short time ago filled my ears. And when I think of the many parents, and children, and infants, and women with child, and sick, and dying persons, who have been in imminent peril of perishing in the flames, and remember how they cried out to Thee in their distress, I cannot even now entirely regain my composure. Thousands might have been reduced to utter want and misery.

Thou hast indeed permitted many persons to lose their possessions and become poor; but in Thy wrath Thou hast yet remembered mercy. Thou commandedst the fire to stand still and not to spread farther. Thou heardest the sobbing of the needy, and turnedst Thy gracious countenance upon us again, so that the greedy flames did not devour all. What grace and mercy! For this we give Thee praise and glory.

Especially do I praise and thank Thee for the great mercy which Thou hast shown me, Thy poor creature, on this occasion. I am no better than my brethren. I have deserved the same punishment. Yet Thou hast graciously spared me. Thou hast given me courage and strength in the hour of need; Thou hast warded off the fire from my home; Thou hast let me and my family and all my possessions remain untouched by the flames, how shall I sufficiently praise Thee for Thy goodness? Ten thousand thanks I give to Thee, O Lord, for all Thy grace to me. O that I had a thousand tongues to sing Thy glorious praise. But since I cannot extol Thee, O God, in any measure at all proportionate to Thy goodness, accept my will for the deed, and let my poor lisping praise be acceptable in Thy sight. Give me grace and strength henceforth to yield my whole life as a thank-offering to Thee, earnestly avoiding all sin, following after holiness, clinging steadfastly to Thee, and serving Thee till my happy end. Have mercy upon me for Christ’s sake, and keep me in Thy grace, that I may enjoy Thy favor here in time and there in eternity.

Look in mercy upon those who have suffered through this conflagration. Cheer and sustain them, and enable them to see Thy will in what they have suffered. Give them patience in their affliction, and let them, in true resignation, cling only to Thee and Thy grace. Replace their loss by Thy blessing, and grant them grace to recognize Thy Fatherly love and goodness and faithfulness to them, that they may praise and glorify Thee without ceasing.

And now, O Lord, our God, be merciful to us in all time to come. Take us under Thy protection and guardianship. Preserve us from all danger of fire in the future. Remember us always in mercy. Do good unto us in Thy good pleasure for Thy mercy’s sake. Do good unto us till the end of our days. Then will we offer unto Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise. Amen.