The Origin of Thanksgiving ~

Last week we discussed feasting with a purpose. We looked at the Old Testament where God established feasts for the Israelites to reflect and rejoice in all God had done. The first Thanksgiving in America was for the same purpose: to rejoice in all God had done. But nowadays the God-centeredness of the celebration is often forgotten, replaced by focus on parades, competitions, football games, and mega shopping deals.

     Well, let’s step back from all that and focus on the origin of our American Thanksgiving. The feast originated as a celebration of the colonists’ survival and harvest. The first year in the New World was an especially hard one, not only was winter harsh and claimed the lives of many, but an epidemic spread during that time as well. The celebration was a time of reflection on all God had delivered them through and a remembrance of why they were in a new land. They had left their home country for religious freedom; they left so they could raise their families under Christian beliefs that had been suppressed. And, though that first year was harsh and the death toll was high, they celebrated because their freedom was worth the hardship.

     Perhaps as a family or with friends you enjoy some of the modern traditions: parades, games, and shopping, they aren’t necessarily bad, just try to remember the purpose of the holiday. Don’t let the meaning get forgotten. It was and STILL IS a time to celebrate blessings of freedom, life, and even food…let’s not ever take those for granted.

     Perhaps this year has been hard, and you’ve endured a “winter” season like the colonists, long, dark, and bitter. Maybe you have suffered from the loss of loved ones. And, just maybe during Thanksgiving you don’t feel so thankful. I ask you to consider the people and things you do have, I can almost guarantee it is much more than those pilgrims had hundreds of years ago. You have life, you have freedom both in country and in Christ, and there is probably food on your table. I think these alone give us more than enough reason to celebrate and thank our God for His goodness!

God bless you! <3

Tera