Thanksgiving Day

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever; his faithfulness, through all generations.” (Psalm 100:4–5, CSB)

Thanksgiving Day is a reflection on the Thanksgiving holiday and its relationship to the Bible, the way that Christians see the importance of Thanksgiving as a holiday.

Thanksgiving is an American holiday, one of the holiest of days on the American calendar. While Christmas and Easter are specifically designed for and observed by Christians. There are many holidays that Americans celebrate. These days include Flag Day, Veteran’s Day, Independence Day, as well as Labor and Memorial Day. Yet, Thanksgiving is a uniquely religious holiday in America.

Americans trace the Thanksgiving holiday to a 1621 celebration at the Plymouth Plantation, where the settlers held a harvest feast after a successful growing season. That first winter celebration included 50 persons who were on the Mayflower (all who remained of the 100 who had landed) and 90 Native Americans.

Autumn or early winter Thanksgiving feasts continued sporadically in later years, first as an impromptu religious observance and later as a civil tradition. While it continues as a civil celebration today, there still remains a religious element. Americans still get together with family and watch football on Thanksgiving. They still get ready to shop for the Christmas on Black Friday after Thanksgiving. At the same time, there still remains this religious element to the traditions. People still remember to give God thanks for the blessings in their lives that have made America a great nation. While many Americans may not reflect on the Bible during this holiday, they do reflect on the goodness of God. Thanksgiving Day will always hold a special place for Americans. As American Christians, Thanksgiving Day can be used to reflect on God’s provision and how He continues to provide for our needs today.