Gratitude and Thanksgiving

“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.” Henry Van Dyke

George Herbert the 17^th century English poet wrote this poem and it is good we pray this prayer too.

“Thou hast given so much to me;

Give me one thing more – a grateful heart

Not thankful when it pleaseth me;

As if thy blessing has spare days:

But such a heart, whose pulse may be Thy praise.”

The Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday in November and this year it falls on 22^nd November. Canadians celebrate theirs on the 2^nd Monday in October.

The Jews have been celebrating their Thanksgiving Day for centuries. It is not called Thanksgiving but the Feast of Purim. In the Book of Esther, we read of the wicked Haman who plotted to exterminate of the Jews in the Persian kingdom. To win favour of the gods Haman cast lots to determine the date the massacre was to take place. The Hebrew word of ‘lots’ was ‘pur.’ He cast so many times to determine, first the month then the date they had to cast ‘purim’ (plural of pur) (In English we add "s or es"to form the plural, in Hebrew "im" is added hence cherub becomes cherubim, seraph becomes seraphim.

Read the story in the book of Esther and see how the story ends. God used Esther as an instrument to save the nation. Miraculously the tables were turned, the Jews were saved and Haman ended up dead on the gallows he had built to kill Mordecai.

The Feast of Purim is a time of celebration. Singapore does not hold a Thanksgiving Day, but let each day begin with thanksgiving. God has done so much for us let us thank Him everyday. I begin the day with thanksgiving and praise.

One of our favourite songs is "Thank you Lord for all Your goodness through years of yesterday." by August Ludvig Storm and translated into English by Flora Larsson