The fourth Thursday in November marks the American holiday of Thanksgiving. As Christians, we should shepherd our hearts not just to be “thankful” in some generic way but to be truly thankful to God. By remembering some key historical events and reflecting on Bible passages, we can corporately express thankfulness to the Lord through our Thanksgiving traditions. May this collection richly bless you, your loved ones, and all those you may bless. From my family to yours.

Psalm 107:1, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

Colossians 2:6-7, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” 

The Pilgrims in November 1621

The first Thanksgiving occurred in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in November of 1621. For over a year, the Pilgrims endured many hardships. Providentially, they were aided by Squanto, a member of a tribe called the Pawtuxet. He spoke English and taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate corn, catch fish, gather maple sap, and better tend to the crops on their farm. Finally, after so many long months of hardly any food, the Pilgrims were able to harvest their crops. Governor William Bradford, the leader of the Pilgrims, organized a feast to celebrate. According to eyewitness accounts, there were about 50 pilgrims present. There were 22 men, four women, and over 25 children and teenagers.

Edward Winslow wrote of this event a month later in a letter dated December 11, 1621:

“After a very difficult time Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deer, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.”

Hebrews 13:15, “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”

James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

The First National Thanksgiving Day on December 18, 1777

The first national Thanksgiving was proclaimed in appreciation for the American triumph at Saratoga in 1777. The Continental Congress dedicated Thursday, December 18th, for the purpose that “the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine Benefactor.”

Philippians 4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness[d] be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The Thanksgiving Proclamation by George Washington New York, October 3, 1789

By the President of the United States of America. a Proclamation:

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—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789. George Washington.”

Colossians 3:15-17, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

The Thanksgiving Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln Washington, D.C., October 3, 1863

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. 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. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

Psalm 95

1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;

    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

3 For the Lord is a great God,

    and a great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;

    the heights of the mountains are his also.

5 The sea is his, for he made it,

    and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

7 For he is our God,

    and we are the people of his pasture,

    and the sheep of his hand.

Today, if you hear his voice,

8     do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,

    as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

9 when your fathers put me to the test

    and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

10 For forty years I loathed that generation

    and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart,

    and they have not known my ways.”

11 Therefore I swore in my wrath,

    “They shall not enter my rest.”

1 Chronicles 16:34, “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”