Thanksgiving: A Story of Persistence
This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but
one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to
what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward
call of God in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 3:12-14
Here is a part of the Thanksgiving story you may not know. While the
first Thanksgiving was celebrated in October of 1621, it was not until
October of 1777 that all 13 colonies celebrated Thanksgiving, for the
first time. At one point, our first president, George Washington,
proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving, but conflict and difficulties
among the colonies put an end to its observance.
It was a magazine editor, Sarah Josepha Hale, whose work led to the
celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday we observe today. Hale wrote
letters to governors and presidents, and editorials in magazines, books
and newspapers, promoting the observance of Thanksgiving. In 1863, after
40 years of letter writing and campaigning (that’s not a typo, she
really wrote letters for 40 years), Hale’s persistence paid off and
President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving.
Since then, every president has supported Thanksgiving. Forty years of
dedication, persistence and passion, all to make sure that this country
would celebrate a National Day of Thanksgiving each year. Impressive.
We can learn from Hale’s perseverance. It took her 40 years to
accomplish what she set out to do. Just like her story, the Christian faith
is often described as a marathon, not a sprint. Each day of our life is
another day to choose between right and wrong, to help someone in need,
to read our Bible and pray. As Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:12-14,
Christians are called to persevere, to press on. Sometimes it can feel
like an unrewarding task. It is hard, but important, to look to God for
the BIGGER plan. What if Hale had chosen to give up after one year or
ten years? Her goal would have been left unfinished. Press on towards
the call of Christ! Endure! But be forewarned, just like Sara Josepha
Hale, it may take 40 years to see the fruit of your labor!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What are some areas in your life that require perseverance?
2. Why is it important we don't base our faith on feelings?
============================================
Remembering Thanksgiving
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Culture Editor
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16
Thanksgiving has got to be one of the most underrated holidays in
America. Once Halloween has finished and the Jack-O-Lanterns are all put
away, the Christmas frenzy takes over. Holiday specials start playing
on TV, stores decorate their aisle with snowflakes and mistletoes, and
people take the chance to hang Christmas lights while there’s no snow.
It’s not all that surprising really; the Christmas spirit can be pretty
infectious, it’s also a lot harder to profit off a holiday that
emphasizes thankfulness.
I feel like this is how many people, even Christians, treat the idea of
thankfulness in general. I don’t know about you, but I’m much faster at
coming up with a list of things I want for Christmas than a list of
things I’m grateful for. It’s also pretty easy for our prayers to become
filled with phrases like “God, please give me…”, “God, please help
me…”, or “God, I need…”. We get so tied up in what God can do for us,
how Christ can impact our lives, that we forget how to be thankful for
what we have. Luckily, God is good at reminding us what’s important.
A few months ago, I was leaving for work in the morning when I was greeted by my apartment’s cleaning lady.
“Good morning,” she said, “How you doin?” I thought about the question for a second and, trying to sound funny, said,
“Well, it’s a Wednesday.”
“Now, now,” she said, “It’s a good day. Do you know why? Because you’re
walking, and you’re breathing.” You can’t really argue with that, can
you?
So, this Thanksgiving, amidst the mayhem of football games and turkey
dinners, I encourage you to take a moment to pray and simply thank
Christ for the things in your life. Whether is for home, family, or a
hot meal, remember to give thanks, for God is good.
Intersecting Faith and Life: During this fall season, remember to give thanks for your blessings
No comments:
Post a Comment