20 November 2018

MY THOUGHTS ON THANKSGIVING

“I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your Testimonies” (Psalm 119:59). A thoughtful person is a thankful person. Blessed is the person who meditates on God’s testimonies. To think on the blessings of God, is to thank Him for His infinite grace. Thankfulness to our Heavenly Father produces ‘thanksliving’. We cry out, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits…” (Psalm 103:1,2). Therefore, we are to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). As a late night television personality was often heard to say, “I hark” back to the days of my youth. I have memories of some small communities having ‘Thanksgiving dinner’ together in a school building. One of the songs we used to sing was, “We Gather Together”. It was a religious song, one that is seldom sung today. But, the lyrics are so meaningful: “We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing, He chastens and hastens His will to make known; The wicked oppressing cease them from distressing, Sing praises to His name, He forgets not His own. Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining, Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine; So from the beginning the fight we were winning, Thou, Lord, wast at our side, - the glory be Thine!” Almost every year there would be a ‘Thanksgiving Play” in the schools. The song usually sung was, “Over The River And Through The Woods.” Here are a few of the lyrics: “Over the river and through the woods, To grandmother's house we go; The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh, Through (the) white and drifted snow! Over the river and through the woods, Oh, how the wind does blow! It stings the toes and bites the nose, As over the ground we go. Over the river and through the woods, To have a first-rate play; Oh, hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ling!" Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!” How fortunate you are, and how grateful you should be, if you have your family together on this, our national holiday, “Thanksgiving”! “Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!”

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