Most of us in the United States – and the West – have seen many depictions of the first Thanksgiving celebration in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Some were accurate; others weren’t.
Yet two elements were almost always present.
One: it was a celebration of thanksgiving to God for the bountiful harvest.
Two: Settlers and Indians celebrated together.
Let’s back up a bit to get a better understanding.
When the Pilgrims had come to America seeking religious freedom, 102 brave people had undertaken the task of crossing the Atlantic to this unknown land.
102 people started out, but many died on the way. After the survivors landed in the new land, they still had to endure a harsh winter with no shelter or food.
It was brutal!
At the end of that winter, half of the original number had died. Only 50 brave souls were left.
Yet in the midst of these hardships, the Natives around them were peaceful and welcoming. They taught the new arrivals how to hunt and how to grow crops on the land – and as a result the following harvest was bountiful.
The Pilgrims were going to have enough food for the following winter.
God was blessing them.
To celebrate this bounty and God’s grace on their lives, these Pilgrims declared a feast and invited the Native Americans who had befriended them.
There were 90 Native Americans and 50 Pilgrims who attended this first Thanksgiving.
Let’s hear it from the one who called the feast.
Edward Winslow, a founder and later governor of the English colony at Plymouth, Massachusetts, wrote in 1621 about this first meal:
“Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help besides, served the company almost a week.
At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others.”
So you can see that 90 Native Americans and 50 settlers gathered to celebrate God’s goodness.
As with most holidays, Thanksgiving has evolved. Now to many people it’s Turkey and Football Day. People get with their families to eat a great meal and watch their favorite teams play.
Yet there’s so much more if we will enter in.
Let’s add something this year. Let’s add a truly thankful heart to the festivities.
Let’s celebrate our God and thank Him for our provision and for having brought us through to this time.
Our God is the source of all good things.
Thank you, Father.
Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving to YOU!!
