Many of us who feel fortunate to live in America share a special heritage forgotten by some or perhaps never known by many. Why is it that we have a national holiday, Thanksgiving, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November?
(To view a video presentation of this teaching, click below.)
The first Thanksgiving was sacrificial.
The first Thanksgiving was established by a group of Pilgrims from England, November, 1620. Before embarking on their journey to America, these devout, law-abiding, Christians obtained written permission to do so from King James I of England. Unlike many other voyagers, their purpose was unique. In their native homeland, there had been great growing persecutions against the practice of their Christian beliefs.
So important was their freedom of worship that they traveled to this land to establish a nation where they could practice their Christian beliefs and freely worship the LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ. It was they who paused during that first winter of extreme weather and severe food shortages here in America to give thanks for God’s blessings upon their lives.
It was all for the glory of God.
They never lost sight of why they came to America. The Pilgrims sold their earthly belongings, and left forever their many loved ones. They departed from Plymouth, England, September 6, 1620, on a 66-day voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. They traveled housed in the dark, unsanitary hull of a ship in cramped quarters with limited food supplies; many with small children. Half of those who started the journey did not survive the arduous trip, and more died after arriving.
In addition to confinement in what became almost unbearable living quarters, when they neared the shores of our homeland, they encountered such a turbulent storm that their ship was blown 400 miles off course forcing them to land in a totally different part of the eastern shoreline of America than where they had planned to land. Likely many on board the Mayflower asked, “Why God,” and were not ready during this horrific storm to give thanks.
Be encouraged in your crises.
Those aboard their ship, and even some who read this article might ask: “If this were really for the glory of God, why would He allow their vessel to be forced off course, even after they had already endured much suffering, hardships, and making so many sacrifices?”
Perhaps you, too, are asking the same question about your journey of life because it seems that your dreams and visions have been blown off course. Maybe you have been suffering emotional, physical, or financial crises. Others may even be questioning their walk with the LORD because everything seems to have gone awry in their marriage, with sadness, hopelessness, and depression being overwhelming at times. However, we must never lose sight of God’s Word:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
Embrace your storms.
The seemingly unprecedented storm the Pilgrims endured turned out to be a blessing upon their lives. This “Providential storm” forced the Pilgrims to land at Cape Cod, Massachusetts instead of their planned destination in the northern part of Virginia.
They later learned that Cape Cod was one of the few places along the coast of North America where hostile Indians would not attack and slaughter them. More than likely all would have been murdered IF they had not been Providentially blown off course by this violent storm. God allowed them to suffer through such a frightening storm, in addition to all they had already sacrificed and suffered because He was working … all things … together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Look for the Samosets in the midst of your crises.
And it was there, on Cape Cod, where God had Providentially placed an Indian who befriended them, Samoset. It was he who educated the Pilgrims how to survive in this new land with physical and economic challenges they had not foreseen. It was Samoset who taught them how to successfully grow corn, to catch fish and hunt for deer; to develop a successful fur trade and to set up much-needed peace treaties with the Indians.
The Pilgrims went before us and made a covenant by which every Christian should live.
Important to us, and our loved ones, is what the Pilgrims wrote and to what they covenanted to 
God to uphold. This was before they walked off the Mayflower and stepped upon what they named Plymouth Rock (so called after their last place of port in England). They drew up and signed The Mayflower Compact. It was through this document that they put in writing for a permanent record: their purpose for coming to this land:
… having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith
Sadly, many have turned from the vision for which our nation was established.
Isn’t it tragic how we as a nation, and individually, have turned from the vision and purpose for which this country was established? In fact, most citizens aren’t even aware of the words penned within The Mayflower Compact that so powerfully and succinctly expressed the heart of the devoted survivors.
“… Having undertaken for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian faith …”
Our message with this teaching is threefold. First we encourage you to gird yourself up if you have given up hope because your situation looks bleak knowing that God does work all things for good in the lives of those who are the called according to His purpose.
We must not forget HE is the Potter; we are the clay. We live in our “vessels” to serve the LORD. Thus, we must train ourselves to give thanks every day knowing that God is bigger than our circumstances and has a plan to work through each of our lives to bring about His good.
The second part of this message is to encourage you to pass on to others your Christian heritage as you work to do your part to rebuild lives,
families, and our nation.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:19-20
Thirdly, we want to give thanks for each of our ministry partners and the many who not only read but study to shew themselves approved unto God and rightly divide (apply) the word of truth. From 2 Timothy 2:15
Truly make this Thanksgiving one of manifold thanks offered unto the LORD by putting down a new stake to thank God in all things, good and bad, in your life. It’s not that we are thankful for the evil and disasters which frequent each of our lives but that we are trusting in the LORD to be working all things for good for His purpose.
If you have questions, need prayer, or would like other materials, Email: RestorationOfTheFamily@gmail.com
In Christ’s Service,
Judith Brumbaugh,
President/Founder, Restoration Of The Family, Inc.
www.restorationofthefamily.org
