This Thursday has been set aside in our country to give thanks to our God. It is called ‘Thanksgiving Day’! Throughout our discussion this week I want to talk about things that most would say; "What do we have to be thankful for?" In spite of adverse conditions and seeing the cup being half full we are truly a blessed nation with much to be thankful for! Just like most things, Thanksgiving Day has a beginning! We are going to take a peek at the beginning and then a few glances at where we are today as we celebrate in 2008. Hang on, this could be tough! I will try to use my words carefully and those who wish to participate in the discussion, remember that we can still praise God from whom all blessings flow.
God’s providence was evident during the sojourn of the pilgrims from their homeland to
the new world. God’s providence led them to the peninsula that became their home even though it was not where they were headed. God’s providence brought them to a people that already had a young Indian named Squanto, who years before learned to speak English while in captivity, in England. I don’t believe any of that which happened was by chance. Many books have been written about it and many believe that God’s divine hand orchestrated the lives of those who left everything to follow Him into the new world. Our country was founded on the beliefs of these men who not only suffered along the way, yet still remained strong in their beliefs that this was God’s desire for the future of his people and for the generations to come.
Did you know that we are the generation who eventually reaped what these dedicated men strove to obtain. They didn’t live long enough to see what this generation would do. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could say that each generation that followed stood tall and that down through the years, the dreams of our forefathers came to fruition.
I am afraid that we, just as generations before us, have failed to keep the dreams alive. The dream of a country that believes that God is and ever shall be the ruler of all mankind. A country that holds truth above all things and knows that it will fall unless the inward parts are built on nothing less than Jesus Christ.
Our forefathers knew that this country would not be perfect but they thought that Godly people would be able to do as Philippians 2:15 says; "That you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world". Today the world wants to put our lights out! They want to live in the shadow of what was and not let it ever be again.
Let’s look again at Psalm 100:4-5; "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name for the Lord is good; His loving kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is to all generations". God is faithful even today! Let us be thankful to Him during this season as we ponder how blessed we are! Tomorrow we will look at some of the happenings that have taken place in our generation. Jane Ann