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"O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." (Psalms 107:1)
Often is seems Thanksgiving is that day squished somewhere in between running
through Wal-Mart looking for that last thing on the Christmas list (that you
could vow isn’t in stock at a store anywhere in the state), and finding a Christmas
tree that has at least the slightest resemblance to what you see in the storybooks.
This holiday with a rich and vibrant Christian history, has been frequently
called “Turkey Day.” Humorous, perhaps, until you realize the idiom is remarkably
prophetic. Far too often, even Christians cannot see between the cranberry sauces,
dressing, and, if you’re fortunate, banana pudding; to see what Thanksgiving
is all about. Christmas décor and that of Halloween are side by side in the
store, and thus it seems Thanksgiving has a unique way of sneaking up upon you.
Any schoolchild loves going trick-or-treat and getting presents, but can’t tell
you anything about Thanksgiving other than they go to Grandma’s house. I don’t
know about you, but I would love to see thanking the Lord once again take center
stage over gargoyles and Samantha Stevens on wicket brooms.
It is essentially presumed that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims in November, 1621. When the first winter had come to pass, the Pilgrims, or at least the ones that had survived (about half of those who set sail), quickly set about preparing for the next winter. You know the story, the Indians, namely Squanto, educated the pilgrims about New England agriculture. They had the grand harvest and enjoyed a three-day feast, (though we know it was rather meager servings) with their newly found allies. But one can only marvel at their apparent lack of arrogance, greed, or complaining.
In 1630, while on the Atlantic sailing to America, devout Puritan John Winthrop, who would later become the Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, meditated on the task before the colonists that were seeking religious liberty:
"We will be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword throughout the world."
The earliest Americans knew that a solid republic depends equally on liberty and morality. And liberty and morality cannot be separated.
What have we been blessed with? Oh, a multitude of things. But certainly, one of the most notable would be our founding fathers and our nation’s heritage. We should first notice the first nationally declared Thanksgiving Proclamation after the Declaration of Independence, declared by the revolutionary Continental Congress. Declared to gratify the Colonial army after their victory over British General Burgoyne at Saratoga. That document, Authored by Samuel Adams, makes it clear who was to be thanked.
"Forasmuch as it is the indispensable duty of all men to adore the superintending providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with gratitude their obligation to him for benefits received...together with penitent confession of their sins, whereby they had forfeited every favor; and their humble and earnest supplications that it may please God through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance...it is therefore recommended...to set apart Thursday the eighteenth day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise, that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feeling of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their Divine Benefactor...acknowledging with gratitude their obligations to Him for benefits received....To prosper the means of religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that kingdom which consisteth 'in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost'."
On Wednesday, December 17th, General George Washington issued orders including a similar statement ordering a day of thanksgiving. While the men who constructed our great Republic where with human flaw, we should be immensely thankful we had, by far, the most Christian founding of any nation since Christ’s birth.
Thanksgiving in autumn essentially became part of American culture through the 1800s. In recent years, unfortunately, Thanksgiving has taken a superficial habit of self-exultation. However, historically Thanksgiving brings out the best of our nation. The Federalist Patriot perhaps described it best,
“For our nation, Thanksgiving has been best celebrated in the shadow of want, and thus Thanksgiving shows the best of our character. We recount the origins of our Day of Thanksgiving that we may celebrate the holiday as our forebears did, in humble acknowledgment and heartfelt gratitude for God's many blessings upon His people and our nation, and that we may focus respectfully on the origins of our freedom.”
This Thanksgiving, our nation is at war. Our forefathers realized with prayer and thanksgiving the criticality of the fact that even self-reliance, is reliance on Him. We should be thankful that we live in a nation that has such a republic as ours. We should be thankful that we have been blessed like no other culture in the world. We should be thankful for all things.
Obviously, it is great to be thankful on the last Thursday in November; But the Bible makes it profoundly clear that thanksgiving is not merely a holiday to be observed, but a lifestyle to be
lived. Personally I struggle with complaining like a 10 year old cook does with eating the dough. In a world that constantly perorates about how you need bigger, better, more sophisticated luxuries, being content is not elementary.
"O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." (Psalms 107:1)
Thank God that we savor the blessings we do. God bless America.
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