WHEN our forefathers met with Native Americans for a feast of thanksgiving that autumn day around the beginning of what would later become Plymouth, Massachusetts in the year of our Lord, 1621, they turned their faces heaven-ward to God Almighty giving to Him their eternal thanks for all His blessings.  After all, they had survived crossing the North Atlantic, gained a foothold on the North American continent whereby they could practice their Christian faith without persecution, and were shown compassion by a people different from them believed to be hostile.  It was truly a time of “thanksgiving” which would lead to a national holiday hundreds of years later.

But it was not until 1863, however, in the midst of the Civil War that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a “National Thanksgiving Day” to be held each November.

President Woodrow Wilson said in his 1917 “Thanksgiving proclamation:”

“It has long been the honored custom of our people to turn in the fruitful autumn of the year in praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God for His many blessings and mercies to us as a nation.”

On this most special day and all the days to follow, the Lord our God should receive our eternal “thanks” for all His blessings, mercy and grace from a grateful nation.  May it always be so.  Amen.

We give You thanks, O LORD, that You have called us to believe with all heart and mind and soul Your only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, who shall come again as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest: Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men.  Blessed be the worship of  the Trinity: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Blessed be the Christian religion in all its forms that worships the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; blessed be its foundation and its flourishing in all the world these past two millennium. 

Thank you LORD:

For our nation and people and abundance.

For our creation and preservation.

For all You created in six days: the heaven, and the earth, the sun and moon and all the stars, and everything on the earth.

For Your plan of salvation in human history in Jesus Christ, fully God, fully Man.

For Your eternal words of Holy Scripture, which You wrote through men, for us and for our salvation, the Holy Bible.  And for Your prophetic words that have been fulfilled as written, and shall be fulfilled in future times.

For the Revelation of Jesus Christ of the things that were, which are, and which shall come hereafter.

For the promise of a resurrection in Christ, and reigning with Him in the Kingdom of God on earth for a thousand years.

That we shall live with You throughout eternity in Holy Light and blessedness.

For those who served in the armed forces of this country in defense of freedom: for all those who gave their lives on the battlefield, and to those who returned to tell their stories.

For our families and friends and students, the out working of God’s love.

For the days You have determined for us while here on earth.

For all those of the Christian faith who have died and gone on to heaven in spirit and soul to be with the Lord.

For our food, shelter, and clothing.

For thoughts, thanks, praise and worship of God in spirit, and our being forgiven of our sins.

For our celebration as often as possible of our Lord’s Supper till He come again.

For our prayers without ceasing to God Almighty, the Most High, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

For Your great and everlasting love declared unto mankind through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

For this day in the 21st Century, November 24, 2012…

Dedicated with love to my mother and my wife, my precious children and grandchildren with ever a grateful heart.

TheUnknownWriter…