Psalms 107:1-2 O GIVE thanks unto the LORD, for HE is good: for HIS mercy endureth forever.
[King James translation]
Thanksgiving
The Thanksgiving story of the 1621 New England Pilgrim colonists and the Wampanoag native people is a story with many themes. For some it is a story of a group of people (the native people) from one culture embracing [illegal] immigrants (the Pilgrims) from another culture. For some it is a story of celebration for a people seeking economic opportunity in a new world and their meal of thanks as they looked to the future. Some see it as a day when a group of people who sought religious freedom gave thanks to God for seeing them through a rough winter. Others see it as a day of sharing—each person brings something to the table. Some see it as a symbol of unity--how people from different ethnic backgrounds can sit down at the table together in friendship and fellowship. Others see it as a day of victory to look back at those who braved the past danger in order to give honor and glory to God. The Thanksgiving celebration of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people lasted three days.
There are some that speculate that the Pilgrims modeled their thanksgiving after the Biblical holiday of Sukkot, the Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles. Sukkot, like Thanksgiving, was connected with the gathering of food. Exodus 23:16 refers to a feast of ingathering (i.e., after the harvesting), which is in the end of the year (i.e., the fall season). It was a time to give GOD thanks for the harvest and to remember how GOD has blessed the Israelites in the past, bringing them through persecution, out of slavery, through the wilderness and harsh times to the present. Sukkot also became associated with GOD's Temple and GOD's GOODNESS. Solomon dedicated the first Temple on Sukkot (1Kings 8:4). After the rebuilding of the Temple, following their return from Babylonian captivity, one of the first celebrations the people observed was Sukkot (Ezra 3:4). In Leviticus 23:40 the LORD instructed Moses that during the celebration, the people were to live in booths to remind the people that they lived in these temporary shelters in the wilderness and to remind the people that it was GOD who brought them out of their past state. It was GOD who kept them from generation to generation. Like Sukkot, for the Pilgrims, Thanksgiving was "a Feast of the LORD." Sukkot lasted seven days.
On November 28, 2013, people across the nation will be celebrating "Thanksgiving," a day that President Abraham Lincoln declared a national holiday by proclamation in 1863. Prior to Lincoln's proclamation, each colony or state scheduled and celebrated its own individual day of Thanksgiving. In an attempt to bring a nation together that was torn by the civil war, Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November a national day of Thanksgiving.
On November 28, 2013, what will you celebrate? Will it be a "Feast of the LORD?" Will it be a day of remembrance—remembering and thanking GOD for HIS GOODNESS through the generations? Will we remember those who are no longer with us but whose footprints of love still linger in our minds and hearts? Will it be a day of laughter, friendship, family, love---where we gather those around us to thank GOD for blessing our family and friends? Will it be a day of reflection and gratitude to GOD —to say thanks for still being able to "stand" despite everything that has happened during the past year(s)--- to us, our communities, our nation or our world. Will we remember that Thanksgiving is about THE LORD?
How long will your Thanksgiving last? Will it be a Lincoln Thanksgiving --one day-- the national holiday? Will it be two days –because you have two days off work? Will your Thanksgiving be four days, including the weekend? Or, will it last only a few hours—right after the last bite of dessert or after the football game?
If we are to heed the words of the psalmist in Psalms 107, we should always be thankful---for the LORD is GOOD and HIS GOODNESS and MERCY are FOREVER!
So, have many days of THANKSGIVINGS!
Pray, love and GIVE THANKS to the LORD every day and BE BLESSED!
