Thanksgiving2017StrongStakes.org

ThanksgivingResourcesHaveyounoticedhowourcultureforgetsThanksgivinginthemaddashfromHalloweentoChristmas?…eveninthechurch.OnceOctoberends,wequicklybeginpreparationsforAdvent,culminatinginChristmascelebrationsandtraditions.ThefourthThursdayinNovembergetsrelegatedtothedaybefore“BlackFriday”salesevents,ratherthananationaldaysetasidetorememberGod’sgoodnessandthankHimforHisprovision.WhenPresidentAbrahamLincolnofficiallyproclaimedanationalholidayonOctober3,1863,hepennedtheseamazingwords:

“Nohumancounselhathdevised,norhathanymortalhandworkedoutthesegreatthings.TheyarethegraciousgiftsofthemosthighGod,who,whiledealingwithusinangerforoursins,hathneverthelessrememberedmercy…Ido,therefore,invitemyfellowcitizensineverypartoftheUnitedStates,andthosewhoaresojourninginforeignlands,tosetapartandobservethelastThursdayinNovembernextasadayofThanksgivingandpraisetoourbeneficentFatherwhodwellethinheaven.”

Thishandoutprovidesresourcestohelpturnthisholidayintoanintentionaldisciple–buildingopportunitywiththosewhowilljoinyouaroundtheThanksgivingdinnertable.Beforeenjoyingthemeal,considertheseoptions:

• InvestseveralminutesreadingaloudsomeofthehistoricalnarrativesandScripturepassages.• Askmembersofyourfamilytoparticipateinthereadings.• Incorporateatimeofcorporatepraiseandprayerbetweenthemealanddessert.

Thanksgiving2017StrongStakes.org

HistoricalAnecdotes:Therearenumerousclaimstothe“first”ThanksgivinginAmerica.

• Ahalf–centurybeforethePilgrimslandedatPlymouthin1621,asmallcolonyofFrenchHuguenotsestablishedasettlementnearpresent–dayJacksonville,Florida.OnJune30,1564,theirleader,RendeLaudonnire,recordedthat“WesangapsalmofThanksgivinguntoGod,beseechingHimthatitwouldpleaseHimtocontinueHisaccustomedgoodnesstowardsus.”

• In1610,afterahardwintercalled“thestarvingtime,”thecolonistsatJamestowncalledfora

timeofthanksgiving.Thiswasaftertheoriginalcompanyof409colonistshadbeenreducedto60survivors.ThecolonistsprayedforhelpthatfinallyarrivedbyashipfilledwithfoodandsuppliesfromEngland.Theyheldaprayerservicetogivethanks.

• OneFridayinthemiddleofMarch,1621,aNativeAmerican,wearingnothingbutaleather

loincloth,walkeduptheEnglishsettlers’mainstreetinPlymouth,andtotheirstartledfacesboomedinflawlessEnglish,“Welcome”!HisnamewasSamoset,achieffromalocaltribe.Hehadbeenvisitingtheareaforthepreviouseightmonths,learningEnglishfromvariousfishingcaptainswhohadputintotheMaineshoreovertheyears.

HereturnedthefollowingweekwithanotherNativeAmericanwhoalsospokeEnglish,andwhowastoproveaspecialinstrumentofGodfortheirgood,beyondtheirexpectations.HisnamewasTisquantum,alsocalledSquanto.HequicklyobservedthattheseEnglishwerehelplessinthewaysofthewilderness,sohetaughtthemhowtocatcheels,stalkdeer,plantpumpkins,refinemaplesyrup,discernedibleherbsandthosegoodformedicine,too.

OneofthemostimportantthingshetaughtthemwastheNativeAmericanwaytoplantcorn.Theyhoedsix–footsquaresintowardthecenter,puttingdownfourorfivekernels,andthenfertilizingthecornwithfish:threefishineachsquare,pointingtothecenter,spoke–like.Guardingthefieldagainstthewolves(whowouldtrytostealthefish),bysummertheyhad20fullacresofcornthatsavedeveryoneoftheirlives.

Squantoalsotaughtthemtoexploitthepeltsofthebeaver,whichwereinplentifulsupplyandingreatdemandthroughoutEurope.Heevenguidedtheirtradingtoinsuretheygotfullpricesfortop–qualitypelts.Thecornwastheirphysicaldeliverance,whilethebeaverpeltswouldbetheireconomicdeliverance.

• ThePilgrimswereagratefulpeople.GovernorBradforddeclaredadayofpublicThanksgiving,tobeheldinOctober.NinetyNativeAmericansjoinedtheircelebration,butdidnotcomeempty–handed:Theybroughtfivedresseddeerandmorethanadozenfatwildturkeys.Theyhelpedwiththepreparations,teachingthePilgrimwomenhowtomakehoecakesandatastypuddingoutofcornmealandmaplesyrup.Theyevenshowedthem

Thanksgiving2017StrongStakes.org

howtomakeoneoftheirIndianfavorites:white,fluffypopcorn!ThePilgrims,inturn,providedmanyvegetablesfromtheirgardens:carrots,onions,turnips,parsnips,cucumbers,radishes,beets,andcabbages.Theyalsointroducedthemtoblueberry,apple,andcherrypie.ThePilgrimsandNativeAmericansenjoyedcompetinginshootingcontests,footraces,andwrestling.Thingswentsowell,thatthisfirstThanksgivingwasextendedforthreedays!

BiblicalPrecedents:Inadditiontoournationalhistory,therearestrongbiblicalprecedentsforcelebratingThanksgiving.AskvariousfamilymembersandfriendstoreadportionsfromthefollowingOldTestamentpassages.

• “ThenonthatdayDavidfirstassignedAsaphandhisrelativestogivethankstotheLord.‘OhgivethankstotheLord,calluponHisname;makeknownHisdeedsamongthepeoples.’”1Chronicles16:7–8

OntheverydaythatKingDavidbroughtthearkofGodintoatentbuiltforit,healsocommissionedanextendedfamilytoformallygivethanksandsingpraisestoGod.Theiroutburstofpraisecontinuesfor29versesin1Chronicles,andlistsmultipleimperativesforhowtogivethankstoGod.

• Psalm105repeatsandamplifiesDavid’sprayerofthanksgiving.

• Psalm34

• Psalm100

• Psalm107

Moreinformationmaybefoundatthesesources:

• TheLightandtheGlory–PeterMarshall&DavidManuel• OurNationalChallenge:Thanksgiving–ChuckMissler[www.khouse.org/articles/1998/72/]• TheFirstThanksgiving–ChuckMissler[www.khouse.org/articles/1997/111/]