Thursday, November 22, 2007

You know, it's kind of funny...

As November's Thanksgiving Day strolls along in the year, it is usually piggybacked by December's Christmas Day. We see Christmas trees and holiday decorations displayed in store windows; we hear Christmas jingles on the radio; we attempt to be proactive and buy Christmas gifts early; (and this one is good...) we hectically plan and practice our presentation for the annual joint Christmas worship service. So, it never really occurred to me that I don't take as much time enjoying the season of Thanksgiving until I remembered what Tobi said when we were walking down a street in Flushing.

After seeing a brightly lit Christmas tree in a store window, she said, "Oh gosh. I don't want to see Christmas trees in November... can't they let us enjoy Thanksgiving?" (I’m sure that isn't verbatim because I have a horrible memory. But- it was something to that effect) :P Anyway, I realized how easily we fall into the deception that Thanksgiving is just about feasting and family-ship without seeing the real meaning behind it. Kind of like how people forget that "Jesus is the reason for the season" during Christmas.

In the same way, Jesus is the reason for this holiday season as well. I find myself getting caught up in the traditional motions of celebrating this day and with shallow reflection of "What I am thankful for" that I’m sure Jesus is saddened by my ungratefulness. I mean, Thanksgiving was originally celebrated after the first harvest of the Pilgrims who came from religious persecution in England. We probably wouldn't be here if God hadn't ordained the history of England or this nation.

Sometimes, I forget how privileged we are to actually live in the states. We have so much opportunity here and I fail to take advantage of all that God has provided us. It is an absolute BLESSING and we should live every single day in thanksgiving!

Check this out. In 1789, President George Washington issued a national Thanksgiving Proclamation. Do you know what he wrote??? It’s amazing. He said:

"Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country...for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed...and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually...To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best."

Wow. When I read this decree, my eyes widened just thinking how far we have strayed from God. I thought, “Wow. So this is the kind of faith our nation was founded on… look at us now…” I know I tend to cry a lot, but when I read this, I couldn’t help but tear and repent for myself and for this country.

It reminded me of the entire Psalm 106 where the psalmist begins with, “Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” and continues on describing the Jews’ disobedience and God’s unchanging love for them. It says:

7 When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.
13 But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel.
21 They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,
24 Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise.
25 They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the LORD.
39 They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves.

And this is what humbles me and makes me get on my knees in thanksgiving... the psalmist says:

8 Yet he saved them for his name's sake, to make his mighty power known.
43 Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.
44 But he took note of their distress when he heard their cry;
45 for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented.

Amazing. I’m sorry I got a little carried away with this entry, but as I was doing my QT this morning- I just felt God urging me to remember Him.

So, using Psalm 160, this is my prayer:

Hallelujah LORD~ I thank you so much for your love and goodness. Words cannot come close to expressing how great You are. God, I thank you for those who maintain justice and constantly do what is right in your eyes. I pray that you show favor to your people and unveil our eyes to see this world as you do.

Please help us to enjoy the blessings you give so that we may “share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise”. Lord, I am in awe of You because You never fail to show kindness to your people even when we are such a crooked and deprived generation -that even when we fail to remember you and even when we curse you, you still continue to love us and cover us in your grace and mercy.

Lord, I pray in repentance. I pray that you forgive us and this nation for forgetting You, disobeying you, and for defiling ourselves. God, let us return to You! I pray that you raise up more and more people who can be like Phinehas who stood up and intervened for his people. Lord, for you credited it to him as righteousness. Let our hearts break for your people, Father… that we wouldn’t just sit by and do nothing, getting fat on your Word for ourselves. But that Your word would move us into action.

This Thanksgiving Day, I pray that we would remember YOU and bring ALL praise and glory to YOU and YOU alone.

47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.
48 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD.

So, all these things I pray in Jesus’ mighty Name,
AMEN! PRAISE THE LORD.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING GUYS :)
I LOVE YOU <3

"Simba, you have forgotten me. You have forgotten who you are and so forgotten me. Look inside your self Simba, you are more than what you have become, you must take your place in the circle of life. Remember who you are.... remember...." Mufasa :) haha

5 comments:

little jane said...

(sigh)
i wish words would just flow like this when i write school papers. argg haha >_<*

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing this with us, Jane!

I'm glad I took a look at our blog site today before the madness sets in toward Thanksgiving dinner tonight!

It's amazing how we forget the One responsible for this Day.

It is not far-fetched to assume that the prosperity America enjoys-- even to this day and age of blatant hedonism, postmodernism and self-promoting egotism-- is due largely to the faith of the forefathers of this nation who could not envision a nation without God.

I especially liked your quote by Mufasa.

=P

oh boy... now I want to see Lion King...

tobiacus said...

Out of all the things I said, you quote me on THAT?!?! j/k.

Just an fyi, being the history geek that I am, thanksgiving was really popularized not until President Lincoln and he proclaimed it on 1863. Of course this was during the middle of the Civil War (1861-1865) and he did it to raise morale for a nation torn by war. Even during such a difficult time, Lincoln lists the many blessings the nation has received and proclaims, "They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union."

little jane said...

oooo wow!!! :) thanks for sharing TOBI! :D

what a history buff. hahaha
that's so awesome.

Anonymous said...

ooohhh .. i missed it all ... wow .. jane - muh-shi-suh!! ... tobi - i love lincoln .. jinjja muh-shi-suh!!!