“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
You pray for everything and everyone
that really matters to you. And you teach everyone who is important to you how
to pray.
So, don’t tell me prayer doesn’t matter.
From the earliest days of our formation
as a country prayer was valued because freedom and liberty were hard earned and
highly valued.
But don’t take my word for it. Here’s
the original proclamation that established this National Holiday. I thought it
might be good to start your Thanksgiving Day by reading the declaration penned
by Fredericksburg’s Favorite Son, George Washington.
Thanksgiving Proclamation
Issued by President George
Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789
By the President of the United States of America, a
Proclamation.
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 and 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 favor, able interposition of His providence in the course and
conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, 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 has 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 shown kindness to us), and to
bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge
and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase 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. Go. Washington
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
