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From its origins, Thanksgiving has always been focused on giving thanks to God.
When the Pilgrims invited their Native American neighbors to dinner, they did so in order to thank God for his provisions.
As some of you may remember from history class, in 1620, 102 Pilgrims sailed to America on the Mayflower.
After 66 days at sea, land was sighted off what is now Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Sadly, the first winter on Cape Cod was devastating: Only four families escaped without burying at least one family member.
But in the spring of 1621, God mercifully sent a Native American named Squanto, who spoke English, to teach the Pilgrims how to survive in this new land.
Despite the help from their neighbors, the summer of 1621 produced a drought that threatened the survival of the harvest. The Pilgrims called for a day of fasting and prayer, and by the end of the day it was raining. The rain saved the corn, which miraculously sprang back to life.
It was some of that miraculous harvest that provided the grain for the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving meal with their Native American friends. Even though the Pilgrims hosted the first Thanksgiving dinner in America, the holiday itself wasn’t put on the calendar for another 170 years.
In 1789, Congress recommended a “day of public thanksgiving and prayer,” to thank God for blessing America. President George Washington declared November 26, 1789 as the first National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving to the Lord.
At the end of the Civil War 75 years later, President Abraham Lincoln established the last Thursday in November as a day to acknowledge “the gracious gifts of the Most High God” bestowed upon America.
Every American President observed Thanksgiving on the same day until 1941, when Congress officially made Thanksgiving a national holiday.
I see God’s fingerprints all over the founding of America. And now, several hundred years later, here are three thoughts on what it means to be thankful.
#1 Thanksgiving is a decision I must make for myself.
To be thankful is a choice we make, and it is also our personal responsibility. According to the Bible, it is God’s will that His children be thankful (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
The word thankfulness is the result of someone thinking about the “good gifts” they have received based on the choices they made. This is why you often hear thanksgiving described as “an attitude of gratitude.”
Almost 300 years ago, the famous Bible scholar Matthew Henry (1662-1714) wrote these words in his diary after he was robbed of all the money he had in the world:
Let me be thankful first, because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, let me be thankful that although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed.
Matthew Henry made the choice to be thankful.
What will you and I do?
Thanksgiving is more than a holiday celebration – it is a heart condition.
It is more than a celebration of food – it is a celebration of faith!
#2 Thanksgiving is a decision based upon truth.
Thanksgiving is based upon the truth that God has been good to us!
When you pause to think about it, we really do have a lot to be thankful for. As the saying goes, “God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good!”
The Scottish minister Alexander Whyte (1836-1921) was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit because he always found something to be thankful for.
One Sunday morning, the weather was stormy and dark and one of the deacons said, “The preacher won’t be able to thank God for anything on a day like this. It’s absolutely horrible outside!”
But much to his surprise, Rev. Whyte began the service by praying, “We thank thee, O God, that it is not always like this.”
Pastor Whyte understood we should thank God no matter what.
Never forget the same God who rules the universe when times are good is the same God who rules the universe when times are not so good. And God always has reasons, motives and purposes for why He does what He does.
James McDonald made this observation, “It’s not Disney World thinking to choose to focus on the good things in our lives; it’s wisdom!”
#3 Thanksgiving is a life-changing decision.
It seems the most thankful people are those who have experienced deprivation. The people who are the most thankful for something are those who know what it’s like not to have it.
Those who are the most thankful for their health are those who have been sick.
Those who are most thankful for a regular paycheck are those who have gone without one.
Those who are most thankful for friends are those who know what it’s like to be lonely.
So how can we be more grateful for what we have?
We can all readily list the things we don’t have and wish we did. But I encourage you to make a list of the things you do have, and then envision what life would be like if you did not have them.
As the old hymn says:
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Start your list with these words: If I have a grateful attitude, I will be thankful . . .
by Jeff Swart
Bibliography
Anders, Max. “Max-ims.” Austin, TX: Grace Covenant Church, 15 November 1991.
Axelrod, Marc. “Thanking God for the Hard Times.” www.SermonCentral.com.
Ebie, D. Greg. “Thanksgiving: Your Heart Condition.” www.SermonCentral.com.
Gibbs, David C. Jr. and Gibbs, David C. III. “The True Origin of Thanksgiving.” National Liberty Journal, November 2004, p. 21.
MacDonald, James. “Choose Thankfulness.” Moody Monthly, July/August 2001, pp. 54-57.
Shirley, Jerry. “Thanksgiving: Three Ways to Look at It.” www.SermonCentral.com.
Strong, James. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. McLean, VA: MacDonald Publishing, n.d.
Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary—Old Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003.
Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Old Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1994.
Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary—New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1992.
Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1991.
Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study New Testament—Scripture Reference Index. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1993.