THANKSGIVING

       

 “ THANKSGIVING”

    In America the first thanksgiving was celebrated by Pilgrims, new settlers with native Indians Wampanoag  at Plymouth, Massachusettes in 1621.  Some historians argue that  the first celebration of Thanksgiving was in Florida. Some Spanish people came to America in 1565. They, 800 Spanish people, celebrated and shared  a festive meal with native people named Timucuan. This message will not be emphasis upon  where Thanksgiving was started.

     In the Bible the First Thanksgiving was celebrated by Cain and Able, the sons of Adam and Eve. Cain was a farmer and Abel was a shepherd. Cain offered the fruits of the ground to God.  Abel offered the first born of his flocks and of their fat portions.  The LORD looked with favor on Abel. Cain was angry and his face was downcast. ( Genesis 4:4) Cain brought Abel to field, then  he attacked and killed him.

     Let us compare between Thanksgiving of very first settlers in America and Thanksgiving of Cain- Abel in the Bible.

     Both celebrations have the same purpose that was to give thanks to God with GRATITUDE  for His blessings. There was one different fact between these two matters – ATTITUDE. There was positive attitude among the new settlers and native Indians. Therefore their Thanksgiving feast lasted three days in Plymouth.  In Cain- Abel story , negative attitude was in Cain – angry and attack. It leaded him into sin. 

     What is Thanksgiving? In my point of view, the word “ Thanksgiving” has two meanings;          “Thanks” and “ giving”. Thanks to the ONE (God) who is giving.  In dictionary this word was defined , “ The expression of gratitude, especially to God”. 

     How to express our gratitude to God?    In  Psalm 9:1 ; “ I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, I will tell of  your wonderful deeds.” This is the best way to give gratitude to God. Whilst we are sharing food and telling  His wonderful deeds, we give thanks to Him with all our hearts. He will be satisfied and accepted our gratitude of Thanksgiving. In the season of Thanksgiving, may you all have blessings from God.

Jujulay. ( 22 November 2018 )

 Note: This is one part of Thanksgiving message to those who gave thanks to God together  at home on 22nd November 2018 in New York. 

" A song touches my heart"

In the season of Easter, one song always touches my heart as a season bird.  In Myanmar, there is a bird called “Ook Awe”, has charming voice. The bird sings “Ook Awe, Ook Awe- - -Ook Awe, Ook Awe”, we can hear this voice under the  scourging   heat in dry  summer. Some people named it  “Summer Bird”. Their singing voices made people’s hearts to recall old memories.      

Likewise, one song comes into my heart in the season of Easter entitled  

“Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”               

Was I there when Jesus was crucified? Were I there - -? Were we there --?  We were not there surely in those days.  Nevertheless, we are still nailing our Savior Jesus nowadays.  

1 John 3:15; “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.”  We are still doing hate not only our siblings but also neighbors, ethnic groups. We make a war at home. We make a war at society. We make a war in the world. We are still nailing Him on the cross by our pride and proud and demanding rights.  

Another lyric from that song touches my heart is “Were you there when they laid Him in a tomb?”  We still make Him laid in the tomb by our beliefs, concepts and bias.  Though God gives us two ears to listen to both sides of  the stories  only one ear hears,  two eyes to see both sides but bias makes one eye blind. God gives us one mouth to speak loud for fair and just but we speak loud for our desires instead of our needs.  Are we still laid Him in the tomb by our natural inclinations, beliefs, concepts and bias among family, society and nations?  We are still laying Him in a tomb by spreading gossips, propagandize one sided messages on media and social media like a big stone which in front of the tomb. 

The last line touches my heart from the song is “Are you there when he rose up from the grave?” We were not there when Christ rose up from the grave.          Someone blocks a big stone in your way like a stone which in front of the grave of Jesus Christ. Pray to Jesus. He has the power to rise up from the death and open the grave stone. Jesus will help you and raise you from your dead life in a tomb.           

We believe and we have many testimonies that Jesus is living God, eternal God. Let Him walk with you, with us. Without Easter, Christmas celebration for Jesus’ birth could not last for centuries until today. Jesus arose from the death.

HAPPY EASTER !                                                                                                                                

JuJuLay. (25 /  3/ 2017)