Thankfully Leading – Man as Chaplain
When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent… For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” - John 6:25-29, 33-34 ESV
The first National Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer under the United States Constitution was proclaimed by new President George Washington:
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… 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. Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Our first President knew well the tendency of all of us to overlook the blessings of God. For his generation, that blessing not only included victory over the British, but the opportunity to establish a government. They had recently approved the Bill of Rights, which included our First Liberty: the freedom to believe and live according to those beliefs. With this freedom, they were able to enjoy the blessings, and prosperity of life. For that to occur, President Washington knew there had to be spirit and recognition of thanksgiving in the hearts and minds of Americans. That need for gratitude endures.
John records the miracle of Jesus who had fed thousands with loaves and fishes but despite witnessing the miracle, many had missed the point. Instead of accepting him as the Son of God, they would rather make Jesus a temporal king. They were satisfied with simply holding bread in their hands and filling their stomachs when they should have held on to Jesus and let Him fill their hearts with the bread of life!
Men, we don’t have to look far in our homes, communities, and our nation to see how much the God of Heaven has blessed us! Our eyes should be quick to observe the gracious hand of God evident in our lives and families. May we express gratitude to God and be vigilant stewards of this liberty that was handed down and entrusted to each of us. In this season, let’s pass on a tradition of thankfulness to our families for the providence of Almighty God, His will, His benefits, and His protection and favor. Amen and Happy Thanksgiving!
- One of the greatest things that you can instill in your family is a thankful heart for everything that God has done in your life.
- Take a moment now to tell God what you’re thankful for!
- Take 5 minutes today to check out our Thanksgiving resource and read about the importance of the history of the pilgrims and their grateful hearts.
When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent… For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” - John 6:25-29, 33-34 ESV
The first National Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer under the United States Constitution was proclaimed by new President George Washington:
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… 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. Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Our first President knew well the tendency of all of us to overlook the blessings of God. For his generation, that blessing not only included victory over the British, but the opportunity to establish a government. They had recently approved the Bill of Rights, which included our First Liberty: the freedom to believe and live according to those beliefs. With this freedom, they were able to enjoy the blessings, and prosperity of life. For that to occur, President Washington knew there had to be spirit and recognition of thanksgiving in the hearts and minds of Americans. That need for gratitude endures.
John records the miracle of Jesus who had fed thousands with loaves and fishes but despite witnessing the miracle, many had missed the point. Instead of accepting him as the Son of God, they would rather make Jesus a temporal king. They were satisfied with simply holding bread in their hands and filling their stomachs when they should have held on to Jesus and let Him fill their hearts with the bread of life!
Men, we don’t have to look far in our homes, communities, and our nation to see how much the God of Heaven has blessed us! Our eyes should be quick to observe the gracious hand of God evident in our lives and families. May we express gratitude to God and be vigilant stewards of this liberty that was handed down and entrusted to each of us. In this season, let’s pass on a tradition of thankfulness to our families for the providence of Almighty God, His will, His benefits, and His protection and favor. Amen and Happy Thanksgiving!
- One of the greatest things that you can instill in your family is a thankful heart for everything that God has done in your life.
- Take a moment now to tell God what you’re thankful for!
- Take 5 minutes today to check out our Thanksgiving resource and read about the importance of the history of the pilgrims and their grateful hearts.