We need a real thanksgiving. Although there are many
accounts of how the Pilgrims and the Native Americans came together in November
1621 the Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow wrote in his journal that after the
Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, Governor William Bradford
organized a celebratory feast and invited a group of the fledgling colony’s
Native American allies, including the Wampanoag chief Massasoit[1]. The
chief accepted and the peoples came together for a three day feast. It would
not be long however that the European settlers would not be very friendly toward
the Natives as we all know. In 1863 heeding the request of prolific writer
Sarah Josepha Hale—author, among countless other things, of the nursery rhyme
“Mary Had a Little Lamb”— President Abraham Lincoln at the height of the Civil
War, in a proclamation entreating all Americans to ask God to “commend to his
tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in
the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.” Thereby
establishing a national day of thanksgiving scheduled for the final Thursday of
November.
If there has ever been a time in history in which America
needed to commend to His tender care all the lamentable civil strife so that
the wounds of the nation may be healed; it is now. Today the holiday is
celebrated primarily by individual families. There are thousands of broken
families out here today so wouldn’t it be good if those families could come
together and seek God for His tender care to heal the wounds. When Jesus said
that we are to love our enemies I think He was referring to anyone, whether a
friend or family member, that does not like us.[2]
That being the case how would it be to call up that coworker or that
brother-in-law that does not see eye to eye with us and invite them to a
thanksgiving feast? What if the family of Michael Brown called up the family of
Officer Darren Wilson and invited them to sit down to dinner for a time of
forgiveness and a “healing of the wounds?” It would be a miracle; and that is
what God can do, perform miracles. However we have been influenced to long as
humans by the wiles of the devil. Ever since the Garden of Eden lines have been
drawn between family members and nationalities and the devil started it all.
But don’t get depressed! God also shows us the future. John
the Revelator wrote, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great
multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and
languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, with palm branches in their hands.”[3]
Mankind will never be able to bring peace upon the earth between families or
peoples, but Jesus will. The Prince of Peace Himself will one day come and put
an end to all this strife in society and the world! We do not have the natural
ability within ourselves to love our enemies but if we will love Jesus then He
will love them; through us. Then we will have a real thanksgiving.
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