“Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your
blessings, see what God hath done.” These
words are from the chorus of a hymn popular many years ago. The hymn, “Count Your
Blessings,” was written by a Methodist preacher, Johnson Oatman at the end of
the 19th century. “Count your Blessings”
is not only a hymn, but it is the story of our biblical heritage as a people of
faith and a part of our nation’s history.
Consider for a moment our biblical heritage which includes
counting blessings and offering thanks to God. As a people of the Judeo-Christian heritage our
roots are deep with the tradition of giving thanks. Noah, landing after the
flood, offered a prayer of thanksgiving for deliverance. Nehemiah records that when the walls of Jerusalem
Consider also for a moment our nation’s heritage which
includes counting blessings and acts of thanksgiving. Historical records indicate that our founding
fathers and mothers celebrated a day of thanksgiving at the Berkley Plantation in
nearby Charles City County ,
VA New
England in Massachusetts
One story especially is worth repeating. When the Pilgrims of
the Massachusetts Bay Colony settled in the new land, during the first dreadful
winter half of their number died. While
they did not know what their future held, they did know Who held their future
and as religious people they faced each day in hope. In the summer of 1621 there was a bountiful harvest
of corn. Gov. William Bradford decreed
that a three-day feast be held beginning Dec. 12. Thus began a day of thanksgiving
set aside for the purpose of prayer and celebration. A custom of placing 5 grains of corn by each
plate was observed as a reminder of the hardships of their first winter, when
food was so scarce that each person was rationed 5 grains of corn. That custom continues in many homes today,
especially in New England .
As one studies early American history it become obvious that
the early settles and forefathers of our nation expressed thanksgiving and
their gratitude to God daily rather than once a year. Observing Thanksgiving Day is not simply
about a national holiday as a single occasion for giving thanks, but a
religious celebration in response to God’s blessings. The holiday simply helps us as a people of
faith focus on the importance of giving thanks as a way of life. Thanksgiving
is the proper response for persons who have experienced God’s blessings, least
we forget and take our blessings for granted.
Perhaps the danger of our age is that too often we take even
the simplest of life’s blessings for granted. The gospel of Luke tells a story of
ten lepers who received a special blessing from Jesus, but nine failed to offer
thanks. They were in such a hurry to get on with their lives that they didn’t
take time to be thankful. I can relate
to that story, can’t you? We live in a
“hurry-up world” that often fails to include taking time for remembering,
reflecting, and responding in thanksgiving.
Let’s face it. Our
tendency is to accept life’s blessing as the norm in life. Yet the Psalmist reminds us that “it is a
good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.” (Ps.92:1) The Apostle Paul makes the point even
stronger in these words to the Church in Thessalonica: “give
thanks in all circumstances. Not just in
good times, but difficult times also! To
respond in thanksgiving is to acknowledge and identify with the giver. To give
thanks for everything, is to trust
God with all things! The attitude of
gratitude lies at the heart of true thanksgiving.
As a holiday, Thanksgiving Day will come and go, but the
message will remain. It is the
responsibility of who really understand what true thanksgiving is to share the
message in regular acts of thanksgiving through a lifestyle of thanks-living.
My hope for all of us as we observe Thanksgiving Day and every day is that we will not take for
granted even the simplest expression of God’s grace and love. Let us count our
blessings! And let’s not forget the four magic words and join people of faith
of every age and generation in saying, “I thank you, Lord.”
