November 25
Daniel 1:1-2:23 | PS 119:65-80 | Prov 28:14 | 1 Peter 3:8-4:6
We all see how the Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter have been both commercialized and secularized over time. But perhaps the holiday which has been most hijacked from its Christian roots is Thanksgiving, to the point that the overwhelming majority do not know or consider it to be a Christian holiday at all. In 1620, 102 Pilgrim colonists landed in Massachusetts, seeking religious freedom and opportunity. The first winter resulted in 44 of the original 102 dying. Their food supply was so depleted that at one point their daily food ration was 5 kernels of corn apiece. Yet one year later, Governor William Bradford decreed that December 13, 1621 be set aside as a day of feasting and prayer to show gratitude to God for all that He had done for them and that they were still alive. They thanked Him for the trading vessel that unexpectedly arrived, swapping beaver pelts for grain, restoring their food supply. They thanked God that with the arrival of that first spring, the sickness that had devastated the community and caused so many deaths had lifted. They thanked God for Squanto, the English-speaking Native American, who as their interpreter enabled the Pilgrims to communicate and establish friendly relations with the Wampanoag tribe. They Thanked God that all of this along with the advice from Squanto and the Native Americans, they experienced abundant harvests during the summer and fall of 1621. The first Thanksgiving was attended by an approximately equal number of Colonists and Native Americans and lasted 3 days. In addition to Prayers of Thanksgiving and feasting, there were games and celebration. The colonists next celebrated Thanksgiving in the fall of 1623, after another remarkable answer to prayer. Fast forward to November 26, 1789 as a Day of Thanksgiving wherein all citizens should offer gratitude to God for His protection, care and many blessings. This was the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the new national government of the United States. The original proclamation by George Washington was all about God, including: "Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor...to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God...". President Abraham Lincoln, in spite of the fact that the nation was in the middle of a brutal civil war in 1863, set forth the last Thursday of November as a Day of Thanksgiving. He elaborated on the many reasons the inhabitants of America had for being thankful to God, stating, "No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. 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 these blessings should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people."
We now embark on the book of Daniel. Consider who Daniel was. He was young, in his teens, came from a life of privilege and learning, was good looking, enjoyed the comfort of family and friends and worshiped God in Judah. In 605, BC, in the first siege by the Babylonians, Daniel and his 3 friends were among the captives taken from Judah. Overnight, he lost his family and friends, he lost his name (Daniel 1:7), lost his customs and diet (1:5), lost his ability to reproduce (as the kings servants were rendered eunuchs), etc. He essentially lost every worldly thing that we hold so dear. But he didn't lose God, as we read in 1:8, "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself." Because of their stance, we read in 1:17, "As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." But we read, no sooner are they elevated, that the king has a dream and begins killing the wisemen for not being able to interpret it. But Daniel, once again, doesn't panic, as he enlists his 3 friends to begin praying. When the secret was revealed to Daniel, he didn't run out immediately to tell the king, we read his song of praise, which concludes in 2:23, "“I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”"
Our Pastor, Lloyd Pulley, in a Wednesday night message, pointed to Psalm 139:17-18, "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You." We fail to often realize how much God blesses us. Focused on what we don't have or our problems, we forget that we owe Him and should thank Him for our every breath. We should be thankful more for who He is, not just for what it is that He gives. We read in 1 Peter 3:15, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;". We put our trust in Jesus, our living hope, and He is the reason for our joy. With our eyes set on eternity, the things of this world which is one day here, the next day gone, will vanish, but He remains forever, and if we are in Him we get to enjoy Him forever in Paradise.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: