Thanksgiving

My wife and I were talking the other night about the ‘holiday season’ here in the US, and the family time we look forward to regarding Thanksgiving. While we enjoy this time of year we were saddened by the rampant and blatant commercialism which pervades everything and its apparent jump from Halloween straight into Christmas. Where is Thanksgiving Day in all of this?

This isn’t a trend that happened all of a sudden, but has been developing over the last several decades. Most people notice it, mainly due to the way stores keep pushing the ‘holiday season’ as their big make-it-or-break-it time to entice money out of their customers – the public. Most people get tired of hearing about the ever-present “X number of shopping days until Christmas” frenzy, and complain about it. Yet while everyone seems to notice and comments about this trend, it still continues on year after year. However, I want to take some time to consider something far more important which is at the heart of why we seem to be missing Thanksgiving Day.

Why has the holiday of Thanksgiving Day become such a second-rate holiday, if people would even still consider it a holiday at all? If you mention “Thanksgiving” to anyone in this country, they can spout off about football games, overeating and the famous “Black Friday” deals that everyone clamors for. Everyone loves the time off (some of us with pay!), but the original intent of a designated Thanksgiving Day is lost on all but a few of us, and this is a true tragedy.

The history of the US is replete with requests and directions, from clergy as well as from government officials, that we should take time to thank the One Who provides all the blessings we enjoy in this life. Protection, provision and abundance are only a few examples of all the gifts God gives us, and our leadership used to understand this fact. From the Continental Congress and George Washington, to George W. Bush, those involved in forming and administering the direction of this country acknowledged – and invited – the continued interaction and intervention of God in the daily affairs of the people of the United States. This common desire was only a mirror of the thoughts and intents of the people of the land, and so it was codified by setting aside a special day to humbly thank God for His oversight, and to implore Him for His continued involvement. Sadly, that is no longer the majority opinion. It seems that most Americans are more concerned with their leisure than with their rightful acknowledgement of God’s beneficence.

God is the source of light and life for all men. He is the Divine Guide, especially of those who seek Him in sincerity. It is by His hand that we prosper, and not by our own work or worth. If we, as individuals as well as a nation, refuse to take time to understand this basic life truth then we are doomed to devolve into hedonism, pride and – ultimately – destruction. We continuously replace service with selfishness, abundance with greed and provision with gluttony. Shame on us.

The solution to this downward spiral is to speak openly and boldly of the goodness and mercy of God, starting with our own families. It’s time for us to remember that God has been, is now and will be involved in our lives, both personally and corporately as a country. As we return to Him our hearts will be filled with the praise and “Thanksgiving” He so rightly deserves.

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