Thanksgiving
by Micky Galloway
“In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition is commonly, but not universally, traced to a poorly documented 1621 celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest.
“… As President of the United States, George Washington proclaimed the first nation-wide thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, ‘as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God’” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving#cite_ref-19).
Today, in a modernistic world where the mention of God is politically incorrect, most of us have time off work to spend with loved ones celebrating the tradition known in our country as “Thanksgiving.” Our children are out of school and have been taught about the Native Americans teaching the Pilgrims how to grow corn and hunt. Therefore our children are told, the Pilgrims gave a feast thanking the Native Americans for their help. What happened to being thankful to an Almighty God for the blessings of the bountiful harvest and many other blessings?
Though these are treasured times to spend with family and friends we must remember that one of the sins that infects mankind is ingratitude to Almighty God. Our society foolishly wants to deny His existence as the heathen in Rome are described in Romans 1:21, “because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks …” Paul’s stated desire for the Colossians was that they might, “… walk in Him, rooted and builded up in Him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7).
During a time when people are willing to trample others to death to save a few dollars, have we forgotten the greatness of God? “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language; their voice is not heard” (Psalms 19:1-3). “I will extol thee, my God, O King; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever … Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable” (Psalms 145:1,3). We sing the song from Psalms 148, “Praise ye Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his host. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that are above the heavens. Let them praise the name of Jehovah; for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also established them for ever and ever: He hath made a decree which shall not pass away. Praise Jehovah from the earth, ye sea-monsters, and all deeps. Fire and hail, snow and vapor; Stormy wind, fulfilling his word; Mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars; Beasts and all cattle; creeping things and flying birds; Kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth; Both young men and virgins; old men and children: Let them praise the name of Jehovah; for his name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and the heavens. And he hath lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye Jehovah.” Thus the Psalmist said, “I will give thee thanks with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praises unto thee” (Psalms 138:1). “Let everything that hath breath praise Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah” (Psalms 150:6).
In such magnificent expressions as these, the Psalmist praised the Creator and gave thanks with beauty of language that lifts our spirits and inspires us to echo his words as we seek to praise the God of heaven. In fact many of the songs we sing are based on the words of these passages.
From the New Testament writers, we learn that praising God is to be a part of our lives as Christians. The apostle Peter said, “But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for (God’s) own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies (praises KJV) of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (I Peter 2:9). “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever” (I Peter 4:11). The Hebrew writer says, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15). Luke tells that the first Christians praised God daily, “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people” (Acts 2:46-47). Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For all things (are) for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God” (II Corinthians 4:15), “And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God” (II Corinthians 9:10-11). To the Philippians he wrote from a Roman prison, “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6). Praise and thanksgiving then, must be a part of our service to God.
Such devotion ultimately finds expression in the praise of Deity by means of the sacrifice of tongues and lips. When God’s children, redeemed by the blood of the spotless Lamb of God, employ the high and holy priesthood of heaven’s greatest gift to earth, they do so from true hearts when they “offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips which make confession to his name” (Hebrews 13:15). It is this sentiment springing up within the believer’s heart which causes him with the Psalmist to exclaim, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me; bless his holy name” (103:1).
One cannot reflect seriously on the Bible without an awareness that praising God and giving thanks plays a prominent role in both the Old and New Testaments. Both Testaments abound with man’s recognition of God’s worthiness. Such English expressions as “Praise,” “Give thanks,” “Thanksgiving,” “Sing praise,” “Shout with joy,” “Glorify,” “Honor,” and “Hallelujah” are expressions of tribute to Jehovah from both men and angels. In the book of Psalms alone, the word “Praise” occurs 168 times. In the book of Revelation, we find many such expressions by both man and heavenly hosts. Consider these: “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within; and they rest not day and night, saying Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8 KJV). Again, “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:10-11 KJV). Yet again, “And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 7:11-12 KJV). It is more than interesting to note that two of the Greek nouns translated with our word “praise” also occur in verb form and are translated as “singing hymns (praises KJV) unto God” (Acts 16:25), and “I will sing thy praise” (Hebrews 2:12).
This article is not about recognition of a yearly national holiday, but about recognizing the source of all our blessings. The Almighty God has so richly blessed us. In the context of praising God, there is an understood reverence for the eternally self-existing God who has manifested His creative power over the physical universe. He has made known His spiritual character in His spoken and written word. He has demonstrated His interest in and love for sinful mankind in His oral and written communication through the person, teachings, and works of His Son, Jesus Christ. Praise and thanksgiving to God involves my personal recognition of what He has done for the benefit of mankind.
While we are praising God for the great things he has done for us, let us be thankful for the relationships we have “in Christ.” Let us be thankful for our brethren! It is not an accident that in nearly every epistle the apostle Paul wrote, he expressed thankfulness for his brethren. Read such expressions of thanks for yourself (Romans 1:8; I Corinthians 1:4; Ephesians 1:15ff; Philippians 1:3; Colossians 1:3ff; I Thessalonians 1:2; 2:13; II Thessalonians 1:3; 2:13; II Timothy 1:3; Philemon 4). The multitude of them is impressive.
Indeed, we are abundantly blessed by Almighty God! Let us abound with thanksgiving!