Thanksgiving
Getting
Around to God
One Thanksgiving season a
family was seated around their table, looking at the annual holiday bird. From
the oldest to the youngest, they were to express their praise. When they came
to the 5-year-old in the family, he began by looking at the turkey and
expressing his thanks to the turkey, saying although he had not tasted it he
knew it would be good. After that rather novel expression of thanksgiving, he
began with a more predictable line of credits, thanking his mother for cooking
the turkey and his father for buying the turkey. But then he went beyond that.
He joined together a whole hidden multitude of benefactors, linking them with
cause and effect.
He said, "I thank you for
the checker at the grocery store who checked out the turkey. I thank you for
the grocery store people who put it on the shelf. I thank you for the farmer
who made it fat. I thank you for the man who made the feed. I thank you for
those who brought the turkey to the store."
Using his Columbo-like little
mind, he traced the turkey all the way from its origin to his plate. And then
at the end he solemnly said "Did I leave anybody out?"
His 2-year-older brother,
embarrassed by all those proceedings, said, "God."
Solemnly and without being
flustered at all, the 5-year-old said, "I was about to get to him."
Well, isn't that the question
about which we ought to think at Thanksgiving time? Are we really going to get
to him this Thanksgiving?
Citation: Joel
Gregory, "The Unlikely Thanker,"
Preaching Today, Tape No. 110.
Scripture
Text:
Psalm 95:1 O come, let us
sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 2
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise
unto him with psalms. 3 For the LORD [is] a great God, and a great King above
all gods. 4 In his hand [are] the deep places of the earth: the strength of
the hills [is] his also. 5 The sea [is] his, and he made it: and his hands
formed the dry [land]. 6 O 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. To day if ye will hear his voice,
The following is quoted from Holiday’s.net
From http://www.holidays.net/thanksgiving/story.htm
“Throughout history mankind has celebrated the bountiful harvest with thanksgiving ceremonies.
Before
the establishment of formal religions many ancient farmers believed that their
crops contained spirits which caused the crops to grow and die. Many believed
that these spirits would be released when the crops were harvested and they
had to be destroyed or they would take revenge on the farmers who harvested
them. Some of the harvest festivals celebrated the defeat of these spirits.
Harvest
festivals and thanksgiving celebrations were held by the ancient Greeks, the
Romans, the Hebrews, the Chinese, and the Egyptians.
The Greeks
The
ancient Greeks worshipped many gods and goddesses. Their goddess of corn
(actually all grains) was Demeter who was honored at the festival of Thesmosphoria
held each autumn.
On
the first day of the festival married women (possibility connecting
childbearing and the raising of crops) would build leafy shelters and furnish
them with couches made with plants. On the second day they fasted. On the
third day a feast was held and offerings to the goddess Demeter were made -
gifts of seed corn, cakes, fruit, and pigs. It was hoped that Demeter's
gratitude would grant them a good harvest.
The Romans
The
Romans also celebrated a harvest festival called Cerelia, which
honored Ceres their goddess of corn (from which the word cereal
comes). The festival was held each year on October 4th and offerings of the
first fruits of the harvest and pigs were offered to Ceres. Their celebration
included music, parades, games and sports and a thanksgiving feast.
The Chinese
The
ancient Chinese celebrated their harvest festival, Chung Ch'ui, with
the full moon that fell on the 15th day of the 8th month. This day was
considered the birthday of the moon and special "moon cakes", round
and yellow like the moon, would be baked. Each cake was stamped with the
picture of a rabbit - as it was a rabbit, not a man, which the Chinese saw on
the face of the moon.
The
families ate a thanksgiving meal and feasted on roasted pig, harvested fruits
and the "moon cakes". It was believed that during the 3 day festival
flowers would fall from the moon and those who saw them would be rewarded with
good fortune.
According
to legend Chung Ch'ui also gave thanks for another special occasion. China had
been conquered by enemy armies who took control of the Chinese homes and food.
The Chinese found themselves homeless and with no food. Many staved. In order
to free themselves they decided to attack the invaders.
The
women baked special moon cakes which were distributed to every family. In each
cake was a secret message which contained the time for the attack. When the
time came the invaders were surprised and easily defeated. Every year moon
cakes are eaten in memory of this victory.
The Hebrews
Jewish
families also celebrate a harvest festival called Sukkoth. Taking
place each autumn, Sukkoth has been celebrated for over 3000 years.
Sukkoth is know by 2 names - Hag ha Succot - the Feast of the Tabernacles and Hag ha Asif - the Feast of Ingathering. Sukkoth begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri, 5 days after Yom Kippur the most solemn day of the Jewish year.
Sukkoth
is named for the huts (succots) that Moses and the Israelites lived in as they
wandered the desert for 40 years before they reached the Promised Land. These
huts were made of branches and were easy to assemble, take apart, and carry as
the Israelites wandered through the desert.
When
celebrating Sukkoth, which lasts for 8 days, the Jewish people build small
huts of branches, which recall the tabernacles of their ancestors. These huts
are constructed as temporary shelters, as the branches are not driven into the
ground and the roof is covered with foliage, which is spaced to let the light
in. Inside the huts are hung fruits and vegetables, including apples, grapes,
corn, and pomegranates. On the first 2 nights of Sukkoth the families eat
their meals in the huts under the evening sky.
The Egyptians
The
ancient Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in honor of Min,
their god of vegetation and fertility. The festival was held in the
springtime, the Egyptian's harvest season.
The
festival of Min featured a parade in which the Pharaoh took part. After the
parade a great feast was held. Music, dancing, and sports were also part of
the celebration.
When
the Egyptian farmers harvested their corn, they wept and pretended to be
grief-stricken. This was to deceive the spirit, which they believed lived in
the corn. They feared the spirit would become angry when the farmers cut down
the corn where it lived.
The United States
In
1621, after a hard and devastating first year in the New World the Pilgrim's
fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was corn, fruits,
vegetables, along with fish which was packed in salt, and meat that was smoke
cured over fires. They found they had enough food to put away for the winter.
The
Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the wilderness, they raised
enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming winter, and they were
at peace with their Indian neighbors. Their Governor, William Bradford,
proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all the colonists
and the neighboring Native American Indians.
The
custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest,
continued through the years. During the American Revolution (late 1770's) a
day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress.
In 1817 New
York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By the middle of the
19th century many other states also celebrated a Thanksgiving Day. In 1863
President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Since then
each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating
the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday. “
How
do you know that people are thankful? How
do they celebrate?
They
have sung to Him because they are happy.
They
have come before Him.
They
have worshipped Him. Given to Him
ourselves (time, talent, and treasures)
They
have bowed and knelt before Him.
They
have become a part of His pasture. We
have eaten and drank his food.
They
have allowed Him to lead us, provide for us, and protect us.
They
have heard His voice and followed Him.
They
have softened their heart and not rebelled against Him.
They
have believed Him and not tested Him.
But
why are they thankful?
Psalm
95:3
For the LORD [is] a great God, and a great King above all gods. 4 In his hand
[are] the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills [is] his also. 5
The sea [is] his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry [land]. 6 O
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.
He
is a Great God.
He
is a great King above all gods.
He
controls the deep places.
He
has the strength of the hills. He
is over all creation.
He
made the sea and the dry land.
He
is OUR God.
He
is our Shepherd.
He
is our heavenly Father.
What
about you? Complaining
about what you have or don’t have.
What
is your perspective of life? Gratitude
is a way of life.
Have
we made a joyful noise?
Do
we have a rock of salvation?
Have
we come into his presence?
Are
we grateful? Or are we ever wanting?
Have
we seen who He is? He is the
great God and a great King above all gods.
Have
we seen what He does? He made the
seas and the hills.
Have
we come to worship and bow down?
Have
we knelt before the Lord our maker or are we self-made people?
Is
He our God? Are we his people?
Are
we the sheep of his pasture?
Have
we heard His voice and softened our heart?
Do
you remember what happened in the past? Have
read and heard the stories?
Would
you be thankful? Would you come
before Him today? Kneel before
Him in Thanksgiving.