I read today the First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving given by the Continental Congress in 1777. It's fascinating. Why? Well, growing up in America, you'd think I would have read this before. Nope. In fact I don't think I read the complete Constitution until I was an adult. Not something I'm proud of... ugh. Regardless, what struck me about this proclamation of thanksgiving was its focus on God. Our founding fathers were serious about being grateful to the Lord for all they saw as His hand. Given the much more secular nature of our government now, this proclamation seems almost shocking.
Some of the things that surprised me -
- That they felt it was the indispensable duty of all men to adore the providence of God, to implore Him for more blessings, to pray about the success of the Revolutionary War.
- They urged all of the states to set apart Thanksgiving for the purpose "SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE: that at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts,"
- They advised all to consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor;
- "And that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please GOD through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance;"
Amazing... calling for a national day of giving thanks to God, to consecrate themselves to His service, and to acknowledge their manifold sins.
Now, it seems that Thanksgiving is purely secular. Football, turkey, pumpkin pie. Nothing wrong with those things at all, in fact that is what our Thanksgiving will consist of, in part. But we will be having a time as a family of reflecting back on the many blessings the Lord has given us over the past year.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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