Thanksgiving Thoughts
If you haven’t read Kerri’s Thanksgiving message, please go to your inbox message dated 11-10. That communication is filled with lovely photos of Jenny Eberhard and symbols of her Native American heritage. Also, there is a beautiful narrative describing the first Thanksgiving. If you were not taught the historical account of how God intervened in the lives of the Pilgrims through a lone Native American, I encourage you to read the account. I have shorted it for you here.
We continue to celebrate Thanksgiving as a story of God's provision for the band of Pilgrims coming to the New World, establishing self-government as outlined in the Mayflower Compact (a document that laid the foundation for our Constitution), and the friendship between them and those the Lord sent to help them, native to the land.
God’s provision was through Squanto. The steps along his life journey are as follows: he was captured from his village in America and sold into slavery in Spain; however, God had a different plan for Squanto as several monks stepped forth to rescue him. They taught him about God and how much God loved him. Squanto learned the English language from them which later enabled him to speak to the Pilgrims.
Years later, Squanto set sail for London and then eventually onto America. After several delays, the ship was soon to land at the village where Squanto was captured ten years earlier. While his people were no longer there, he soon met the Pilgrims who were kind to him and were amazed that he spoke their language. It was a friendship ordained by God.
Squanto showed them how to plant corn by burying three kernels along with a fish for fertilizer. He also taught them how to catch eels and lobsters. The Pilgrims and Native Americans enjoyed a feast of bountiful harvest much in part due to Squanto. We call this the first Thanksgiving. You might want to purchase the paperback book entitled Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas.
Our nation was founded upon the principle of representative, self-government which was instituted at the colonial settlement known as Plymouth, Massachusetts. After their celebratory meal, life was still very hard. The winter of 1623 was said to be a miracle from God as they lived through the winter with only a ration of five kernels of corn a day with no deaths. After that harsh winter, more folks who had been let out of prisons in England were sent on ships to colonial America. They did not have the same work ethic as those who sailed on the Mayflower. Governor William Bradford was perplexed at the situation, so he turned to God’s Word. He found his answer in 2 Thessalonians 3:10: “If anyone does not work, neither shall he eat.” Going forward, families were given individual plots of land for private use. If there was overage, the family could sell or trade for something they needed. The colony flourished under their new capitalist society. Socialism has already been tried in the 1600’s and was found lacking.
As we enjoy this special time of year, let us thank God for His hand and providence throughout our
nation’s history. I am reminded of another verse from 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If My people who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Our land needs healing.
I believe one of the greatest gifts you can give your children is to plant seeds of gratitude by training
them to see God’s hand in daily blessings – both large and little. First, this discipline begins with us. Let us be like Squanto and keep our hearts poised to trust God, even when times seem bleak, as they did many times, for the Native Americans and the Pilgrims. Happy Thanksgiving!