Thanksgiving...Gratitude for a Great God

"But thanks be to God,

who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

(1 Corinthians 15:57)

What does thanksgiving mean to you? Is it a turkey dinner and a football game? Is it a long anticipated family gathering? Is it all of the above wrapped up in a time of celebratory gratitude to God for his blessings?

For what were the Pilgrims thankful to God?

As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the United States that looks back to the when the Pilgrims first came to this continent seeking religious liberty.  Despite a very difficult first year at Plymouth at harvest time the Pilgrims gave thanks abundantly in and for all things. That first thanksgiving was after a year in which 47 out of 102 Pilgrims died (3 months at sea + a cold winter with poor shelters). As their ranks thinned, they drew closer together and prayed even harder—never giving in to despair. In October 1621, 90 Native Americans showed up and brought additional food with them to add to the celebration. However, in November 1621 another ship arrived and dropped off 35 more people with no supplies of any kind. This severely taxed their food supply until the next harvest. That second winter the daily ration was ultimately reduced to 5 kernels of dried corn, yet no one died of starvation. They never despaired but always gave thanks and during really bad times they gave thanks even more. So when the time came for the second thanksgiving celebration the first course was five kernels of corn lest anyone should forget. --

In comparison, Jamestown settlement did not give thanks and as things grew worse they suffered almost an almost 90% death rate including acts of murder and cannibalism.

In 2001, after going through the national turmoil of 9/11, I wrote a poem where I attempted to capture the emotion involved in that Thanksgiving, and perhaps by extension that of Christians around the world throughout the ages.

Thanksgiving at Plymouth

Survived

We’ve made it through

Anno Domini past.

Too many of our company did not.

Persecution and promise driven

Through water (stormy Atlantic),

And fire (raging fevers).

Amalgamated by the fellowship

Suffering . . .

Disease, exposure, exhaustion,

Seeking . . .

Thy face in desperate prayer,

Singing . . .

Praises for Thy tender mercies,

Sowing . . .

In hope we planted what remained!

Surrendered

Our ways, wills, wisdom

At the end of ourselves

Thy Word hast not returned void.

Strengthened

Providential purposes accomplished,

Righteousness’ fruit!

Thy harvest now we thankfully receive.

© Greg K. Dueker

 

In addition to this poem, and the Thanksgiving Day history, here is a pastoral potpourri on thankfulness.

When and how should we give thanks to God?

·         In everything… for it is God's will. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

·         Always... for everything (Ephesians 5:17-20)

·         Abounding in it as our regular habit (Colossians 2:6-7; 3:17)

·         By faith as part of our prayers. (Philippians 4:6-7)

·         Great or Abundant thanks (Psalm 109:30)

Three Characteristics of Biblical Thanksgiving

·       It is not based on Possessions but on Praise. (1 Chronicles 29:13,16) The Hebrew word indicates “to use or hold out the open hand,” which means that we acknowledge that which we have received from God is still God's. We offer it back with the open hand of gratitude. It also has the aspect of “making confession,” for in thanksgiving we confess our dependence on the Lord and praise him for his goodness.

·       It is not based on the Product but the Person. In the Bible there is one reference to being thankful for the Word of God (Psalm 119:62), two references to thanksgiving for salvation, and more than 30 examples of gratitude for God's person and character, his goodness, his loving-kindness, and his Holy Name. They thanked God for Who and What he was, as seen in the things He did.

·       It is Agreeing with the Process & Plan not just the "Pay." The terms used for thankfulness in the New Testament signify “to acknowledge or agree fully” in essence to confess not only thanks for God doing something but for the way God did it. Our gratitude to the Lord ought to be not so much for the end result as it is an agreement with God and His process and plan for getting there.