To better appreciate the roots of this special season for us as a people, let’s unravel the chain of events that helps us understand the implications of what led to the divinely innovative beginning of a whole new national identity.
Nobody I know does that better than my friend Bill Federer – Listen as he describes parallels between the treacherous 16th century time of the Pilgrims and our time 400 years later.
Is Thanksgiving in America a legacy worth reclaiming?
We all know the traditional Thanksgiving story of the Pilgrims, but have you considered the little-known experiences of the his-story that COMPELLED those humble believers to take such risks, posed by tyrants, to make the choices they did?
“They will be My people and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them and I will inspire them to fear Me, so that they will never turn away from Me.” Jeremiah 32:38-40
The discovery of our Creator’s awesome works indeed leads us to have a confident fear of God… that results in a continual attitude of thanksgiving throughout our life.
Like the separatist Pilgrims who fled religious persecution in their homelands to courageously face an untamed wilderness 400 years ago right now, we are facing a challenge of giant proportions. Can we dare to proclaim, “Thank you Almighty God for your abundant mercy and your grace to lead us on?” Despite the dismal failure of our generation’s Christian leaders to teach us to disciple our own nation and amplify the knowledge and authority of God’s Holy Word in our current society, God is working behind the scenes. It appears that He is using the multi-faceted crisis whirling around us to inspire His true disciples to seek the face of God more fervently than ever.
If we do not fear the wrath of God, then we will not appreciate the love of God. Only the Fear of God can produce lasting justice and righteousness in individuals, families, churches and nations. Only to the degree that people fear God and obey His commandments can society function for the good and freedom of all of its people. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…” Psalm 33:12
Much has been researched and written lately about the proven personal benefits of expressing genuine gratitude. It turns out that thankfulness is not typically a result of being happy, but rather the opposite is true. …