What a blessing to share the following:
George Washington said, "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…Now, therefore, I do appoint Thursday, the 26th day of November 1789…that we may all unite to render unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection."
The Continental Congress in 1777 said, "Congress recommends a day of…thanksgiving and praise so that the people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts…and join…their prayers that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, to forgive our sins…to enlarge His Kingdom which consists in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost."
Thomas Jefferson said, "I appoint…a day of public Thanksgiving to Almighty God…to ask Him that He would pour out His Holy Spirit on all ministers of the Gospel: that He would spread the light of Christian knowledge through the remotest corners of the earthy:…and that He would establish these United States upon the basis of religion and virtue."
Abraham Lincoln said, "We often forget the Source from which the blessings of fruitful years and healthful skies come…No human wisdom hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God…I therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States…to observe the last of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."
Too bad we don't have a president like some who honored the name above all names, Jesus Christ from whom all blessings flow! God bless us all as only He can!
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Letter to Editor: Don't forget the source while giving thanks