Who Am I Thankful for This Thanksgiving?
Dear Friend,
We think of the first Thanksgiving as a joyous time filled with turkey, bountiful harvest – a picture of abundance. We imagine Pilgrims passing heaping platters around long tables with smiles on their faces. Without the distractions of the modern world, they must have really felt the presence of God on their way to the Celestial City.
It must have been easy to be thankful back then. Or was it?
By this time, only half of the original Mayflower passengers had survived.
Was Isaac Allerton thinking about life without Mary, the wife he recently lost? Had Edward and Susanna fully recovered from the loss of their spouses before entering a quick remarriage? How did Richard feel without his brother and sister, orphaned alone in this New World?
Was this day bursting full of thankfulness? Or was it also filled with clouds of grief? If life had been this unthinkably hard, where would thankfulness find a seat at these long tables? The circumstances weren’t stable enough to drop anchor.
Gratitude would have to ascend to greater heights – above circumstances – to God.
The Pilgrims were undoubtedly thankful for their current provision, but surpassing physical blessings, God Himself was the only True sure source of thanks. Whereas hunger, exposure, disease, and enemies would continue to threaten the security of the Pilgrims, the Almighty would never cease to provide.
This is why the Pilgrims continually referred to the Lord as Providence. They trusted in WHO, not WHAT. That’s what made them thankful.
They rejoiced in the God of Thanksgiving.
So, this Thanksgiving, when the time comes to share what you're thankful for, it isn’t bad to express gratitude for family, friends, and food. But may we not be content to be thankful for these lesser gifts and forget the Giver.
And even if Thanksgiving brings clouds of grief, may the most important Person on our lists be Providence Himself…the One whose greatest gift is Himself. The God of Thanksgiving.
May God bless you richly this Thanksgiving!
In Christ,
Shannon and Danielle Hurley
