THANKSGIVING -2024

Ps.95:1-3 – O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great king above all gods.

Thanksgiving has a real, authentic American feel to it. Unfortunately, many Americans have been ashamed of our heritage; I would have to put the blame of that on the false narrative many educators have embraced during my lifetime. I was taught as a child the beauty of our national history. Not that America was perfect, there are always plenty of imperfect people to mess things up. What I am saying is that there is a spiritual foundation undergirding the beginning of our nation. Our founders came in search of religious freedom having experienced persecution in England. Those first years were incredibly difficult but with the Lord’s help they endured. That brings us to our tradition of Thanksgiving. It was started by the early colonials giving thanks to God for His sustenance and provision in difficult times. Here is an excerpt from a Thanksgiving message by Jonathan Edwards from Thanksgiving 1735. Hope you enjoy.

“Hence we in this town have cause exceedingly to rejoice in God, and praise his name at this time. We have that cause to rejoice and praise that is spoken of in the doctrine; for God has most evidently and wonderfully manifested himself amongst us of late. He hath appeared amongst us in his glory: he hath manifested himself in his greatness: he hath made bare “his glorious arm,” and proceeded to do mighty works, and works of wonder amongst us. He hath appeared amongst [us], as one that is far above all the enemies of our souls, as stronger than Satan and all the powers of darkness. He hath conquered “principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly”. It hath appeared that stronger is he that has been with us than he that is in the world. God has in the midst of us, punished “leviathan that piercing serpent”. There has been a great battle between Christ and his angels and the dragon and his angels; “and the dragon has been in a great measure cast out, that old serpent, who is the devil, and Satan”. And God has rid in triumph amongst [us] in “the chariots of salvation”.

Finding our national purpose and history is critical in the difficult times we live in. I believe there is still a plan from the Lord for our nation in this current generation. Many of us have been praying for another national awakening, maybe we are getting very close. Maybe the youth of this generation will rediscover our national purpose and identity. Maybe as we give thanks to the Lord this year we will again see God moving among His people.