President Elect Barack Obama reminded the American people about the history of Thanksgiving on the site change.gov where you can view him talking about the 150 year old history of our holiday. In that video he quotes from President Abe Lincoln, using Abe’s admonition that this time should be set aside to have “gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people.”
That is neat stuff! What is even more amazing is that Obama seems to have cherry-picked the heart right out of what was being communicated by President Lincoln (why!? not sure... but he did.) Specifically, rather than generally, Abe Lincoln was dealing with the Civil War and knowing that his country was struggling through a tumultuous time both as a government and as a people, he wanted everyone to take a look at the bigger picture, and see God in the middle of all of it.
In the world of examining historical text, Barak did what literary folks like to call “proof-texting” which means that he takes a smaller phrase out of a bigger statement, to validate a particular perspective, but equally so invalidate another (or at the least diminish another.) For those still paying attention, here is more of what Abe Lincoln said (emphasis mine):
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal handYou see, Abe was just one guy, doing his best to be a helpful president, but clearly not compartmentalizing his sensibilities with his faith and intelligence. As a president only 150 years ago, he didn’t read into the constitution the idea that the government should not establish a state religion and turn that into a claim that the government cannot make sound decisions for our country that are directly related to faith and that refer to our “Father who dwelleth in the heavens” (let alone refer to God or faith.) It is one thing to argue that the founding fathers were wrong, and it is another thing completely to rewrite history. If you follow the link above to the full statement, Lincoln said that America was pushing forward and working hard while it was in the middle of it's most devistating war. He saw the efforts as a blessing, but was clearly counting the cost as well. That is pretty bold stuff. Abe seemed to want America to look into the rough times and deal with our sins and be thankful for Gods mercies (remember this is a President and not a preacher, right!?) I digress!
worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.
I am thankful for so much this year and I want to see the fruit of thankfulness pour out of the abundance of each of us toward those without abundance. That is where my hope starts. I also hope that we will, both in the good and the bad, be found talking with God and searching the Bible for His mercy toward us. I pray that you find Him standing there in the middle of your situation with a practical dose of mercy to see you through. Nothing is more valuable.
Personally, I think we get their by remembering, not selectively and with an eye toward agnostic self-reliance, but with thankfulness to our Father and to one another, remembering the details – the good, the bad and the ugly, along with the happy, blessed and lovable ones (and yet finding the thankfulness toward Him in the middle of all of our situations, for the important stuff… obviously not for the crappy stuff but for, as Lincoln said, the “mercy” to make it through tough times.)
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