Thanksgiving to the Giver
by Christopher Hendrix
Our American Holiday of Thanksgiving began long before America won its independence. The first Pilgrims landed in 1620. Despite the high expectations they had when they departed Europe, the harsh reality of their unpreparedness quickly set in. Many perished on the voyage and after landing in Massachusetts. That first year, the colony lost almost half its population. They had every reason to grumble, complain, and curse God. However, in a remarkable display of resilience, they celebrated the first Thanksgiving in November 1621. Their thanksgiving was a testament to their determination to give God glory and praise, even in the face of adversity. Edward Winslow, one of the first Thanksgiving participants, wrote, “Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we gathered the fruit of our labors. . . . And although it is not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want.” Though their table was empty of food, it was full of gratitude. Their meal consisted of nothing like today's, but they feasted on so much more than food.
Listen to Pastor Chris teach on 2 Corinthians 5:6-10.
Over the decades, Americans continued to celebrate with a feast in the fall that focused on giving thanks. In the aftermath of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the date we celebrate Thanksgiving today as the official holiday for giving thanks to God in Heaven. This holiday arrived on our calendars through suffering and loss. Adversity and struggle, instead of dampening their spirits, fueled the gratitude in the hearts of the men, women, and children who decided to feast and give God glory with whatever they had available to eat. Their gratitude to God in the face of such hardship serves as a beacon of hope for us all.
So, why do we not celebrate this holiday as much as we should today? Perhaps it's because we are comfortable and prosperous. Prosperity, as the Lord warns the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 8:17, can quickly breed ingratitude. Prosperous people can easily forget why they have what they have and who gave it to them. When the chord of humility stops playing in the nation’s heart, pride and comfort in material things take over as idols. The evidence of these idols pops up every Thanksgiving Day. From the lack of thankfulness to God for the food to the early Black Friday shopping that encroaches on Thanksgiving evening, our culture has lost the gratitude our forefathers clung to. This should make us pause and reflect on our attitudes towards gratitude to God in the face of our prosperity.
As Christians, we may not be able to change culture overnight, but we must take steps in that direction. One initial step comes from our passage this past Sunday. 2 Corinthians 5:1–10 shows that Paul anticipates receiving the resurrected body. He didn’t know when this would happen but knew God promised it. The Spirit gave evidence of this very promise! His joy flows out of the words he penned as he took comfort and confidence in Christ. Here was a man who had been beaten, tortured, stoned, near death, gone hungry, experienced many sleepless nights, and had assassins after him, but he had courage because of the future resurrection and being in the presence of Christ. Gratitude implicitly exists in his heart as he looks to the day when he will be before Christ. In most of his other writings, thanksgiving appears multiple times.
The way to change culture starts with us giving thanks to the Triune God and His work of redemption for us. The Father chose us and sent the Son to save us. The Son set aside His glory to put on flesh, die, and rise again to redeem us. The Spirit applies this redemption to us. God saved us and gave us Himself. There’s no more excellent gift than God! So, let us rejoice and give thanks exceedingly on Thanksgiving Day and every day. Let us give thanks to God for every piece of revelation He has given us in His Scriptures. Let us give thanks for His works and the very life He gave to us. Let us even give thanks for putting us in this chaotic time in American and World history. God gave us these times, and we are in Him as His people. Let us be grateful for our lives in this age.
Let us move beyond thanks to God, which ranks the highest, and give thanks to our spouses, children, church members, fellow Christians, the people serving us in restaurants, and our co-workers. Let us give thanks to our government and those in authority. In case I missed someone, let us give thanks for every person God puts in your life! Lastly, let us give thanks for our material possessions (they aren’t offended to go last), such as our homes, paychecks, clothing, and entertainment. Gratitude ought to undergird everything we do. However, gratitude in itself is useless unless someone is receiving thankfulness. Our gratitude must always be aimed at God, the giver of all creation.