Another national celebration of Thanksgiving is upon us, and I wonder what secular people have to give thanks to. Without an almighty, providential God ordaining all things, how does Thanksgiving make any sense? I understand that human beings can be thankful to other people, and ought to be, but gratitude is most profound when it’s given to the one who “gives all men life and breath and everything else.” That pretty much covers it all! And every blessing in our lives is given to us, and ought to be received gratefully. It obviously doesn’t come naturally to sinners, so that’s one reason we are exhorted over and over in Scripture to give thanks to God!
Which brings me to this day, Thanksgiving, a national holiday in which most Americans, thankfully, give thanks. It only makes sense on the foundation of what George Washington stated in his proclamation on October 3, 1789 that established the holiday, a Thanksgiving to God. Read in its entirety, it’s almost shocking because of the secular air we breath. We’ve been indoctrinated from our cultural betters that America is a secular republic; it is no such thing. Reading the words of our first president makes that abundantly clear:
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—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States 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—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
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 enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease 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.
Like I said, shocking, but it shouldn’t be. America’s Founders knew that there was one foundation alone upone which a successful republic could be built. John Adams, our second president, said it well: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Secular, America is not, and for that this Thanksgiving we can give thanks.
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