Thanksgiving by Tradition, Proclamation & by Exercise

Why have we set aside a special, particular day to give thanks in America?  How did this tradition start?  And, why do we do it in the first place?

These are all good questions.  And I believe we, the citizens, should ask these questions in order to know if we are doing the right things in our life and our country.

Through the study of the history of our country, we know that the first Thanksgiving feast was made by the Pilgrims and the natives.  But do we understand why they felt led to have a feast?  And was indulging in a feast the reason for the celebration?

In 1621 the Pilgrim settlers feasted after having a successful harvest season.  And they gave thanks to God for the success of their journey to a "New World", as well as the successful harvest.  They were thankful to the natives, who taught them how to have a successful harvest and to fend for themeselves in their new environment.  But they didn't worship the natives - they worshiped God.  They knew that it was the providence of God which had sustained them.

But this did not establish a special and particular day for a feast to be celebrated throughout our nation's future.

Throughout the ensuing years of colonizing, the people celebrated many feasts, but not by tradition, nor in any consistent manner.  And still their main concern was to set aside a day for prayer and thanksgiving, rather than a day just for feasting.  The days of thanksgiving were not just for a successful harvest.  Sometimes a thanksgiving day was had to celebrate a military victory or a local achievement.

According to Wikipedia, "During the American Revolutionary War the Continental Congress appointed one or more thanksgiving days each year, each time recommending to the executives of the various states the observance of these days in their states.  The First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving was given by the Continental Congress in 1777, stating:

"For as much 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, and to implore such farther Blessings as they stand in Need of; And it having pleased him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable Bounties of his common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary War, for the Defense and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased, in so great a Measure, to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal success: It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these UNITED STATES to set apart THURSDAY, the eighteenth Day of December next, for SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had foreited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please GOD through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almightly GOD, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, INDEPENDENCE and PEACE: That it may please him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land my yield its Increase:  To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under his nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which cosisteth in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.  And it is further recommended, That servile Labor, and such Recreation, as, though at other Times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, be omitted on so solemn an Occasion."

Doesn't sound much like, "OK folks, let's watch football and have a meal so large that we stuff ourselves more than we did that grand turkey on the feasting table!" , does it?

These guys knew what Thanksgiving was all about!

But it still didn't establish a particular day for an annual Thanksgiving.

During the Civil War, President Lincoln, asked in quite a similar manner of speech, that the last Thursday of Novemeber in 1863 be proclaimed as a day of Thanksgiving.  But it wasn't until after that date that it was finally observed annually.  Since that time the date has been tweaked and changed until we finally came up with Thanksgiving Day to be observed on the 4th Thursday of each November.

But what is missing here?

When was the last time you heard anyone celebrating Thanksgiving Day by giving prayer and fasting?  For that matter, when is the last time you even were reminded that we were setting aside a day to give thanks to an Almighty God, and Divine Benefactor, to whom we owe it?

And then we wonder why our country is in the economic trouble we are in!

No, I'm not suggesting that we throw out all the traditions that we have come to associate with an American Thanksgiving Day.  But, what I am suggesting is that we do as God's Word tells us to do in 2 Chronicles 7:14 , "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  That is a conditional promise from God.  Don't do it and you'll pay for it!

It is my contention that we have systematically elininated God from public venue to the point that He has lifted His hand of protection and left us to our own devices.  And, through our pride, we have felt no need for His hand to guide and direct our country; and we are suffering because of that pride and arrogance.

I hope that you'll make a stand for and with God as you celebrate your Thansgiving Day.  I hope you'll set aside, at the very least, one day to give Him what is due Him, so that He will once again heal our land.

Just as ancient Israel was told by God to observe "The Feast of Weeks", whether they had a good harvest season or not, we should all be giving thanks to Him "in all things", as the scripture says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18.  And we should turn our attention to doing our duty, obeying God.  We should pray for our leaders; that they would serve God and the people for whom they were elected to serve.  Afterall, God has not changed, He is still our Divine Benefactor and dispenser of all Blessings.  Much to the chagrin of many of our Congressmen, the truth is: they do not come anywhere close to filling His shoes!  We should learn to trust Him for all things in our life - and life itself!  And let us keep in mind, the scripture also tells us, "to whom much is given; much is required."  America, more than any other nation in the world, has proven throughout its history to be a world leader.  We sit with a wealth of natural resources, waiting to be tapped into.  And one of our greatest resources is our workforce.  We should be ashamed to sit and collect unemployment benefits, if we are able to work!  The Bible tells us, that he who doesn't work, should not eat!  We must do what it takes to make America properous again.  We must not allow a socialistic ideology lead us into destruction!  America is a republic, where everyone has the right to tell the government how to do its job.  We must do our part to keep our country strong.  And the first thing is to get it out of the hands of tyranny and into the hands of God again.  This country was founded on the truths of God's Word and the majority of the people still believe in that Word, regardless of what the media says!  So, let's do what we know is right!
It's not too late.  We can still turn things around.  But we will have to admit that we have gone wrong.  And then to turn to God for direction.  Let us keep in mind the real meaning of Thanksgiving, and act accordingly.

Proverbs 3:5,6 

"If we, the people, hold fast to and live by beautiful ideals, they are bound to be enacted by our government, for, in a republic, the ideas of the people reach upward to the top instead of being handed down."  Laura Ingalls Wilder