Thanksgiving is more than a day of thanks
Thanksgiving is more than a day thanks
Thanksgiving is a holiday of the heart. As we look through history at the various ways this holiday has been celebrated, we can see a recurring theme of not only gratitude, but a turning of the heart toward God in response to this gratitude.
Think of the 53 survivors of the Mayflower and 90 Native Americans from the Wampanoag tribe gathered together to celebrate the first Thanksgiving in November 1621. It was a three-day feast designed to give thanks to God for His divine provision. Edward Winslow, one of the Pilgrims in attendance that day, wrote, “Although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want.”
Again in 1777, the First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving was drafted by Samuel Adams and adopted by the Continental Congress. He wrote, “It is therefore recommended… 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 Acknowledgements and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins.”
Nearly 100 years later, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November a national day of, “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” He urged the American people, “with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience… fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation.”
Throughout history, the call for the Thanksgiving holiday has been a focus not only on gratitude for God’s gifts, but also an acknowledgement of our sins with confession and repentance. Now in 2024, we should not lose focus on our need for repentance. Would you be surprised to hear that the percentage of people who think our nation is divided is at an all time high and only 18% of Americans think that we are united? The effects of choosing our own selfishness over submission to God are clear and obvious for anyone who looks. God offers us freedom and instead we choose selfish devices like pride and arrogance, or resentment and bitterness that end up holding us captive. God offers us life and we instead choose a life that leads to death. We need repentance and what better time to acknowledge this than a day designed specifically to recall all the blessings that the God of the Bible has poured out upon us.
In the book of Nehemiah, we see the incredible story of God restoring the nation of Israel. He brought back the exiles from Persia, the temple was rebuilt, the broken city walls were repaired, and the Law had been rediscovered and presented to the people. This is what happened next:
And Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” All the people went their way to eat and drink, send portions, and have great rejoicing because they understood the words that were declared to them. (Nehemiah 8:9-12, ESV)
Israel had good reason to weep and mourn. When presented with God’s Law, they realized the gravity of their sins and how rebellious they had been. But they were charged to rejoice in God’s grace and provision rather than to weep. Today, in 2024, we too have good reason to weep and mourn. We are a rebellious people, focused on our own pleasure and comfort instead of obedience to God. While it is very easy to point to the depravity of our society and ignore our own sins, I would challenge you this day to internalize the call for repentance with thanksgiving.
When God’s love for us dwells deeply in our hearts and we begin to comprehend all that he has done for us through his son Jesus, our natural response will be to recognize our own wickedness. Our natural response will actually be to repent, and turn to Him in thanksgiving. This year, let Thanksgiving Day remind you of God’s bountiful gifts to us, but don’t let your heart stop there. Let us also examine our hearts before God, the ultimate giver, and approach him in humble repentance and thanksgiving.