“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you ”
No doubt, 2020 will be one of those years that will stand out in the history books. A global pandemic, record storms and fires, a gyrating economy, social unrest and political division, (and we still have a month to go!). But we can still be thankful in spite of the chaos because we know who holds the future and how the story ends.
In fact it is sometimes in the midst of trial and tribulation that we are most keenly aware of all that we have to be grateful for. Remember, it was in the middle of a devastating Civil War, (surprisingly, most deaths were due to disease) that Abraham Lincoln issued the Thanksgiving proclamation.
Notice in heart of the proclamation segment below, Lincoln makes no effort to hide that Thanksgiving is directed to God and freely admits the nation was suffering for its sins:
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.
So let’s likewise remember the goodness of God, even though many families may be celebrating Thanksgiving on a smaller scale or might even be in isolation.
We are thankful for all of you, the best congregation west of Bermuda.
As the apostle Paul said to the Romans; “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Romans 1:8).
Peace and blessings!