GIVING THANKS by Janet Grunst

GIVING THANKS

By 

Janet Grunst

In her post on November 16, 2011, “Thanksgiving in Early America”, Elaine Marie Cooper shared the familiar origin of the Pilgrims Thanksgiving in 1621 at Plymouth, Massachusetts. She also beautifully expressed why our nation celebrates Thanksgiving; as a day we set aside to give thanks to God for His provision.

My post on July 20, 2012, told a different story; the 1619 Thanksgiving service that took place 590 miles south of Plymouth at Berkeley Plantation on the James River in Virginia.

Others suggest that the Spanish celebrated a Thanksgiving in Florida even earlier.

The origin of Thanksgiving is not as important as the reason we continue to set aside a time to focus on our Creator God and all He has done for us throughout the ages. Like those who came before us, we give thanks to God for His provision, His protection, His presence, His mercy, and most of all, the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Most of us have family or favorite Thanksgiving traditions that range from attending religious services, getting together with loved ones, enjoying incredible meals, playing or watching sporting events, more eating, and possibly even napping.

My Thanksgiving never seems complete without singing or reading a hymn by Henry Alford and George J. Elvey that reminds me of all I have to be thankful for and all I have to look forward to. The hymn is based on:

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord,

and to sing praised unto Thy name, O most high.”

Psalm 92:1

COME, YE THANKFUL PEOPLE

Come, ye thankful people, come,

raise the song of harvest home;

all is safely gathered in,

ere the winter storms begin.

God our Maker doth provide

for our wants to be supplied;

come to God's own temple, come,

raise the song of harvest home.

2.         All the world is God's own field,

fruit as praise to God we yield;

wheat and tares together sown

are to joy or sorrow grown;

first the blade and then the ear,

then the full corn shall appear;

Lord of harvest, grant that we

wholesome grain and pure may be.

3.         For the Lord our God shall come,

and shall take the harvest home;

from the field shall in that day

all offenses purge away,

giving angels charge at last

in the fire the tares to cast;

but the fruitful ears to store

in the garner evermore.

4.         Even so, Lord, quickly come,

bring thy final harvest home;

gather thou thy people in,

free from sorrow, free from sin,

there, forever purified,

in thy presence to abide;

come, with all thine angels, come,

raise the glorious harvest home.