A Season of Thanksgiving

I said it would be coming--even if it is several days late!

There is a decent amount to be said, pro and con, for this civic holiday.

Ira Stoll in the Wall Street Journal looks back at the first Thanksgiving proclamation--not by Lincoln, but by Samuel Adams in 1777.

And David Gelernter in The Weekly Standard looks back at Lincoln's last Thanksgiving, April 11, 1865--two days after end of the Civil War and four days before the president was murdered.

Both articles explore the historical situation at those times.

Abraham Lincoln (who may or may not have been a believer)on October 3, 1863, after acknowledging the positive blessings in America despite the terrible pain of the Civil War:

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 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 imposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purpose, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union.

Read the whole thing.

But for the Christian, Thanksgiving is a spiritual "state" that is never out of season, not simply a holiday celebrated in late November because American culture deems it fitting. Indeed we are to approach the Throne of Grace in a spirit of thanksgiving--expressing gratitude at all times (even before we confess our sin!) for what God has done in our lives and most importantly through his Son, Christ Jesus.

"O go your way into His gates with thanksgiving and unto His courts with Praise!" (Psalm 100)

Finally, Consider Psalm 111. Therein is something to be thankful for!

"Praise the LORD!I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the LORD,
studied by all who delight in them.
Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the LORD is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy;
they are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!"