“I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart.”

(Psalm 138:1a)

The official day of Thanksgiving is November 24, 2022. Thanksgiving has a very deep tradition among human beings upon this earth. In the First Book of Chronicles, Chapter 16, in verses 34 through 36, we find.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his kindness endured forever; and say, ‘Save us, O god, our savior, gather is and deliver us from the nations, that we may give Thanks to your holy name and glory in praising you.’ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, through all eternity! Let all the people say, Amen! Alleluia.”

When we look back to the time when our ancestors immigrated from the European continent to this continent, where we now live, tradition tells us that they gave Thanks with the peoples already living in this continent.

Out official National Thanksgiving Day goes back to the days of President Abraham Lincoln. He delivered the official Proclamation on October 3, 1863. This causes me to think of the Abraham of the Old Testament: “The Lord said to Abram: ‘Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you.’” (Genesis 12:1-3a)

Down through the generations, each generation throughout the world have many, many reasons to give Thanks. We in this time will be gathering with our families to give Thanks, recalling the words of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior in the Gospel of Luke 17:11-19:

“As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten persons with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to them, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

To prepare for our Thanksgiving Day, we will gather as Christians of this time and place on Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 4pm at the First Baptist Church, 3511 Kathyrn Road South in Valley City. Come and join us.

Please, in giving Thanks, give InKind and monetary offering to benefit the Barnes County Pantry.

“Give Thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his kindness endures forever!” (Psalm 107:1)