Thanksgiving
 

The Pilgrims knew firsthand how it felt to be thankful. After being nearly wiped out by starvation during their first winter in 1620, the fortunes of the Plymouth colony took a turn for the better in the summer of 1621. The corn that the Indians had taught them to plant had yielded a bumper crop, and relations with neighboring Indian tribes were friendly. With 90-plus Indians joining in (and contributing five freshly killed deer!), the Pilgrims "entertained and feasted" for three days in October 1621, according to the diary of one of the colonists. The event would go down in American history as the first Thanksgiving.

At this holiday, as at no other, we count our blessing and we run out of time before we exhaust the list. And best of all, life simplifies itself.

From the annals of our rich heritage, there has been preserved this announcement, which was made 358 years ago.

Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as He has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now, I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims with your wives and little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November ye 29th of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-three, and the third year since ye pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor, and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings.  (William Bradford Governor of Plymouth colony, 1623)

Although nearly four hundred years have passed since the first Thanksgiving, the need
for us to give thanks to God hasn't changed. God blesses his people in innumerable ways, just as he blessed the Pilgrims.

Thanksgiving seems to blend together all we Americans hold precious and dear -- without the sham and plastic mask of commercialism.

Shopping centers jump from Thanksgiving to Christmas. It's doubtful that any of us has ever seen or will ever see a Pilgrim hype. Just can't be done. Except for grocery stores, merchants are mute when Thanksgiving rolls around.

Thanksgiving is a very special time of the year. Thanksgiving highlights the home and family. Thanksgiving is synonymous with stuff that can be found only at home -- the warmth of a fireplace, early morning fussing around in the kitchen, kids and grandkids, long distance phone calls, family reunions, family reunions, singing around the piano, holding hands and praying before that special meal.

However, Thanksgiving is about more than just piles of food and gathering far-flung relatives in the same room. It is about giving thanks to the God who provides for our every need.

Thanksgiving is a time of quiet reflection upon the past and an annual reminder that God has, again, been ever so faithful.

The solid and simple things of life are brought into clear focus, so much so that everything else fades into insignificance.

It speaks in clear, crisp tones of forgotten terms, like: integrity . . . bravery . . . respect . . . faith . . . vigilance . . . dignity . . .honor . . . freedom . . . discipline . . . sacrifice . . . godliness.

Thanksgiving turns our heads upward. Just the word "Thanksgiving" prompts the spirit of humility. Genuine gratitude to God for His mercy, His abundance, His protection, His smile of favor.

I. BEING GRATEFUL

A. It is surprising, but back on the first Thanksgiving our forefathers were thankful for the precious little they had.

A little boy said, "Salt is what ruins the mashed potatoes when it is left out." Using the same kind of negative definition, we can say, "Gratitude is what ruins life when it is left out."

Romans 1:21
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (KJV)

A disposition of continual thankfulness comes from an unshakable confidence in God's wisdom, power, and goodness no matter what our circumstances may be.

People who possess the quality of gratitude may be poor in this world's goods, but they are truly rich spiritually. Some of the most appreciative people around are people who have little material wealth, and some even live below the poverty line.

In one of his stories, Charles Dickens has a character say, "My not knowing at one meal where I shall get the next is a great help to thankfulness."

B. "Deciding to be grateful rather than bitter is a choice anyone can make."

Grouchy or grateful--what makes the difference?

Hebrews 12:15
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. (NIV)

The causes of ungratefulness need to be discovered so that choices in the direction of gratitude can be made.

Even Christians are not immune to the problem of ingratitude.

2 Timothy 3:1-2
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (KJV)

Underneath the more obvious causes lies the real culprit: unbelief, denying that God knows what is best for us.

C. We must learn to be grateful in the midst of affliction, pain, and confusion.

Questioning God's goodness in difficult times can lead to three very harmful practices:

We question God's motives. This results in self-pity.

We play the blame game. This ends up in anger.

We begin the game of comparing our plight with others. This generates doubt. We must get our focus off ourselves. Instead of comparing, concentrate on how you can meet someone else's needs.

The results are "worry, anger, self-pity, and a judgmental, complaining spirit."

But gratefulness produces "peace, faith, contentment, and a positive attitude."

We must learn acceptance of what life has to offer. This is far from fatalism. Acceptance is an unwavering trust in the sovereignty of a good and righteous God.

Here are some suggestions for conquering ungratefulness:

Choose to give thanks. Decide to express gratitude "in all circumstances" (1 Thess. 5:18). It will become a habit, though there may be many slip-ups along the way.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (KJV)

Change your focus from circumstances to God. Regardless of how bad circumstances may be, God is still good; focus on that instead of complaining.

A man once kept a daily account of his service for the Lord along with the blessings he received in return. In one column he listed what he did for God; in another what the Lord did for him. When he recovered from an illness, he put that down. If a friend helped or cheered him, that too was noted. All the favors and mercies he experienced were carefully recorded. But he gave up after just a few days of bookkeeping. "It's no use," he said, "I can never get these columns to balance. I am always hopelessly in debt!" Yes, God's benevolence far outweighs anything we can ever do for Him.

See the bright side. The same situation can prompt either gratefulness or cynicism, depending on how we look at it.

Robert E. Bruce relates the following incident: "While walking along a busy street one day, I heard someone singing. His sweet voice was distinguishable even above the noise of the traffic. When I located him, I noticed that he had no legs and was pushing himself through the crowd in a wheelchair. Catching up with him, I said, 'I want you to know, friend, that to hear singing from a person in your condition gives everyone else a lift.' He answered with a grateful smile, 'When I stopped looking at what I had lost and began concentrating on all I had left, I found much for which I could rejoice and be happy.'"

Wait and see. "God asks us to give thanks in advance--before we see or know the consequences." Practicing giving thanks can minimize and shorten the pain of a difficult experience. "Being grateful" by Madalene Harris. Today's Christian Woman, Mar/Apr 1993. Pages 40-41. Topic: GRATITUDE. See also 7960.

Even when our circumstances seem to give us no reason to be thankful, we can always be grateful for God's unchanging nature, his love and his mercy.

II. THANKFULNESS TRANSFORMS

A. Paul's ability to look past his own troubles and to be grateful for his help transformed his life.

Romans 16:3-4
Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: 4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. (KJV)

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (KJV)

Philippians 4:11-13
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (NIV)

In the early days of the settlement of the West, travelers encountered considerable difficulty. One party of pioneers on the Oregon Trail had suffered greatly from a scarcity of water and grass. Some of the wagons had broken down, causing delays in the stifling heat. Along with these adverse circumstances came a general feeling of fretfulness.

Optimism and cheer were gone. One night a meeting was called for the purpose of airing their complaints. When they had gathered around the campfire, one of them arose and said, "Before we do anything else, I think we should first thank God that we have come this far with no loss of life, with no serious trouble from the Indians, and that we have enough strength left to finish our journey."

After the prayer, there was silence. No one had any grievances, which they felt were important enough to voice.

B. Thankfulness often transforms a grumbling spirit into one of contentment, enabling us to see the many mercies of God that we ordinarily would overlook.

Romans 14:6
He that regareth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. (KJV)

As a magnet drawn through the sand picks up particles of iron, so a grateful heart finds some God-given blessing in every hour of distress.

I am Thankful for.........

....the taxes I pay
....because it means I'm employed.

....the clothes that fit a little too snug
....because it means I have enough to eat.

....my shadow who watches me work
....because it means I am out in the sunshine.

....a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and
....gutters that need fixing
....because it means I have a home.

....the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot
....because it means I am capable of walking.

....my huge heating bill
....because it means I am warm.

....all the complaining I hear about our government
....because it means we have freedom of speech.

....the lady behind me in church who sings off key.
....because it means that I can hear.

....the piles of laundry and ironing
....because it means my loved ones are nearby.

....the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours
....because it means that I'm alive.

....weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day
....because it means I have been productive.

I have never really thought about it in this way but, I'm thankful for all this and more, hope you are too.

C. Solomon's advice.

Proverbs 11:24
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. (NIV)

Proverbs 30:8
Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. (NIV)

Be thankful for what God gives. Trust that the portion He chooses for you will always be enough.

Conclusion:

Psalms 100:1-5
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. (NIV)