The first Thanksgiving took place when the settlers at Plymouth had a three-day feast with the Wampanoag Tribe in 1621. This event marking the first real successful harvest was a break in the hostilities between the two groups that lasted for decades and led to the ultimate decimation of the Wampanoag tribe and the loss of lives of hundreds of settlers.
Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln encouraged the people to remember the last Thursday of November as a day of “Thanksgiving”. This came just days after the infamous “Gettysburg Address” (Nov 19, 1863). in which he honored the 58,000 casualties from the Battle of Gettysburg which took place in July of the same year. Perhaps President Lincoln realized that gratitude towards our Creator would bring ultimate peace whereas focusing on our differences leads to conflict. Congress made it an official holiday in 1870.
However, the giving of thanks is something that should not only be just held one day a year but should be a lifestyle by every follower of Jesus. There is an interesting event in scripture that shows that Jesus takes notice of those who are thankful and those who aren’t; Luke 17:11-19 (ESV)
“On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
The last statement is interesting. Was the healing of the 9 only temporary because of their ingratitude? Was the thankful one the only one completely and totally healed? Just one of the million questions I want to ask Jesus when I see Him. However, it seems that this “foreigner” was the only Samaritan in the group. Perhaps the other 9 were Jews and perhaps felt “entitled” to receive their healing because they were a part of the Household of God. So many little nuances in this story that we could spend hours investigating. One thing is clear. It is vital for health and relationship that we maintain a lifestyle of “thanksgiving”.
The Apostle Paul gives this exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
The Lord uses every circumstance in our lives to mold us into His image. We may not understand the fulness of all God is doing but we must learn to trust and give Him thanks in all things. To not continually be thankful allows the possibility of “entitlement” to slip in. Entitlement can lead to depression and desperation especially when God does not answer according to our expectation. We can become bitter in our long-suffering. Perhaps the biggest problem with not being thankful is that it shifts the focus of our affection from the Lord to ourselves and problems. But, God is at work! Keep your focus on Him and be thankful. Meditate on Romans 8:18-39 (ESV) and let it be your guide through difficult times.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[i]against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Thus, living a life of thanksgiving is the mechanism that keeps are focus clearly on the majesty of God and His purpose of using everything to conform us to His image.
As the Psalmist, who had a few of lives problems said in Psalm 100:4 (ESV)
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
I want to close on the Apostle Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving that He wrote to the church of Colossae centuries ago. I have the same sentiments for all of you this thanksgiving, especially verses 9-12; Colossians 1:3-12 (ESV)
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”
Happy Thanksgiving!! God is at work! Keep your focus on Him and His purpose and be thankful! We serve an awesome God!!!