Monday, November 22, 2010

The First Thanksgiving?

When you think of the first Thanksgiving, do you picture this?


Think further back...

In Exodus (Exodus 23:14-17), up on Mt. Sinai, God instructed Moses to celebrate three yearly Thanksgiving feasts!  These festivals were part of the Jewish law.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread commemorated God's deliverance from slavery in Egypt.  The Feast of Harvest celebrated the first fruits of the crops.  And the Feast of Ingathering came at the end of harvest, when the last of the crops were gathered in, as well as celebrating God's provision during the forty years of wandering.

It makes me sad to see Thanksgiving kind of disappear amid all the commercialism of Halloween and Christmas.  And when we (the collective "we") do observe Thanksgiving, we tend to focus more on the blessings than the source.  When we encourage our kids to be thankful, let's not forget who we're thankful to.

(Stepping off my soap-box now.)

I'm shutting off the computer to focus on family for the next few days.  I've scheduled a couple things to post (to help me resist the temptation to log on), but I won't be "around".

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise Your glorious name.  1 Chronicles 29:13

5 comments:

melanie said...

So should I even comment? ;-)

leah said...

I like this post- it is easy to forget about the ordained feasts from the Old Testament. Have a wonderful logged-off Thanksgiving- and Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow!

Also, have some excellent turkey and mashed potatoes!

Ruby said...

It is sad that Thankgiving becomes an excuse for a holiday. As you know we don't have a special Thanksgiving Day here but on yours I usually talk to the children about it. A good reminder to give praise and thanks to our great God from whom ALL blessings flow.
Hope it is a good day for you all.

Anonymous said...

I was in a book store the other day...I picked up 3 childrens books on Thanksgiving... and not one of them mentioned to WHOM we are to be thankful! It was so sad. So are they thankful to themselves for all they have? To fate? Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow. Oh that this year the hearts of more people will be drawn to the foot of the cross in humble thanksgiving.
Diane of Salem way!

The dB family said...

Stay on your soap box :o). Although here in the north country Thanksgiving was over a month ago, it still gets overshadowed by the (just in my h.o.)disliked "holiday" of the year, Halloween. Oh that we all could be more thankful.

Have a wonderful logged off holiday!

Blessings!
Deborah