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| Thanksgiving Turkey (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
It is hard to believe but tomorrow, those of us in the
United States, will celebrate our annual Thanksgiving Day. A time set aside to
remind all of America to once again look up, and thank our Creator for the
abundant blessings we all enjoy. Someone once said that the road to degradation
and sin begins with an ungrateful spirit. People have abundance but want more,
and are not grateful for what they have.
This we have seen in young and old alike. So how can we turn this
around? Let me suggest a couple of things that might help: First, look around
you and count all the things you have that others might not have. Begin with
the tangibles such as job, house, clothing, health, etc., etc. Next, count the intangibles such as friends,
family, purpose, the opportunity to live here in the United States enjoying
relative peace and prosperity, and so on.
Now ask yourself how you were able to accumulate all of this. Some might
be so arrogant as to say "I earned it myself." That attitude is the
first step toward degradation and sin. We need to look to our Creator, the God
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and express our thanks to Him for being so good to
us. We don't deserve it, but by His grace we have it, and we ought to thank Him
for His goodness towards us. Remember that all assets belong to God. We are
simply stewards of His property. It does not belong to us. Thank Him for His
trusting you to care for His property.
Thanksgiving means a lot more than eating turkey.
The First Thanksgiving Proclamation (June 20, 1676)
On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown,
Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the
good fortune that had seen their community securely established. By unanimous
vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29 as a day of
thanksgiving, our first. That proclamation is reproduced here in the same language
and spelling as the original.
THE FIRST THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION - JUNE 20, 1676:
"The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series
of his Afflictive dispensations in and by the present War with the Heathen
Natives of this land, written and brought to pass bitter things against his own
Covenant people in this wilderness, yet so that we evidently discern that in
the midst of his judgments he hath remembered mercy, having remembered his Footstool
in the day of his sore displeasure against us for our sins, with many singular
Intimations of his Fatherly Compassion, and regard; reserving many of our Towns
from Desolation Threatened, and attempted by the Enemy, and giving us
especially of late with many of our Confederates many signal Advantages against
them, without such Disadvantage to ourselves as formerly we have been sensible
of, if it be the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, It certainly bespeaks
our positive Thankfulness, when our Enemies are in any measure disappointed or
destroyed; and fearing the Lord should take notice under so many Intimations of
his returning mercy, we should be found an Insensible people, as not standing
before Him with Thanksgiving, as well as lading him with our Complaints in the
time of pressing Afflictions: The Council has thought meet to appoint and set
apart the 29th day of this instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving and
praise to God for such his Goodness and Favour, many Particulars of which mercy
might be Instanced, but we doubt not those who are sensible of God's
Afflictions, have been as diligent to espy him returning to us; and that the
Lord may behold us as a People offering Praise and thereby glorifying Him; the
Council doth commend it to the Respective Ministers, Elders and people of this
Jurisdiction; Solemnly and seriously to keep the same Beseeching that being
persuaded by the mercies of God we may all, even this whole people offer up our
bodies and souls as a living and acceptable Service unto God by Jesus
Christ."
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm
rings each morning, thank you, Lord, that I can hear. There are many who are
deaf.
Even though I keep my eyes tightly closed against the
morning light as long as possible, thank you Lord, that I can see. There are
many who are blind.
Even though I huddle in my bed and put off the effort of
rising, thank you, Lord that I have the strength to rise. There are many who
are bedridden.
Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks
are lost, toast is burned, and tempers are short, thank you, Lord, for my
family. There are many who are lonely.
Even though our breakfast table never looks like the
pictures in magazines and the menu is at times unbalanced, thank you, Lord for
the food we have. There are many who have no job.
Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and
wish my circumstances were not so modest, thank you, Lord, for the gift of
life.
~Author Unknown~
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be
rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
1 Timothy 4:4
I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in
Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your
speaking and in all your knowledge--
1 Corinthians 1:4,5
.
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