The First Official National Thanksgiving Day

There’s always so much to be thankful for that it’s hard to know where to start. I’m continually thankful for my hearing afforded by my wonderfully working cochlear implant. I’m thankful that I am part of the fantastic ministry of AiG. I’m blessed to be part of a wonderful church family. I’m grateful for my hard-working and witty husband. We’re blessed with a smart, beautiful, compassionate, and loving daughter. And of course my biggest praise and thanks goes to my Savior who loved me so much that He died for me, resurrected, and will someday take me to be with Him for eternity.

In my reading I ran across President George Washington’s proclamation of the first official national Thanksgiving Day. I wanted to post a portion of it here because it is my prayer for our nation today.

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 . . . a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

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 . . . .

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 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.

2 Chronicles 7:14 states, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” O, Lord may the people of this nation seek your forgiveness and may you heal our land.

Happy Thanksgiving and keep fighting the good fight of the faith!