Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is here again.

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. This is one of the oldest holidays celebrated in the United States and dates back to the 1600's. Early celebrations date back to December 1619, and especially 1621 where Americans commonly trace the beginning of the holiday to. As with many holidays, Thanksgiving was initially celebrated as a 'holyday'; a day of giving thanks to God for all that He had done. The first national proclamation of Thanksgiving was in 1777. Below is just a portion of the proclamation that caught my eye:

"It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these United States to set apart Thursday, the eighteenth Day of December next, for Solemn Thanksgiving and Praise: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please God through the Merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance."

On October 3rd 1789, President George Washington made a proclamation and created the first Thanksgiving day designated by the national government. Here is also a portion of what he said:

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness. Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be."

In November 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving day to be celebrated on the final Thursday of November. Here is an excerpt:

"I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."

The founders of this nation knew Who to render thanks to. Thanksgiving was instituted with God in mind! This thanksgiving, give your first 'thanks' to God Almighty for all that He has done and continues to do for you.
God bless you and "in every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thess 5:18).

References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States) http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/vc006494.jpg http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm http://www.plimoth.org/learn/MRL/read/thanksgiving-history