November 21
As we move toward Thanksgiving, we are mindful that this holiday meant a great deal to the Pilgrims. They had endured a tumultuous sea in order to depart the religious persecution of Europe to forge their way to the Americas. They encountered both friendly and hostile natives when they landed on the shores of New England in the autumn of 1620.
They suffered through an extremely harsh winter that saw many of their number perish from the cold and from starvation. They had hardly a reason to stay when the ship set forth for home. But, the one reason they had to remain in Plymouth was that they longed to be free. They were willing to endure continued hardship in order to worship God after their conscience.
So they stayed. They suffered. Many more of them died. But those who remained and survived established a bulwark of freedom that stands yet today! We, their spiritual heirs are able to say with the prophet, “God, You have caused the nation to grow and have made the people blessed. They have shown their thankfulness to You as through their joy at harvest time, as through victory in battle!
“You have removed their heavy burden and have broken the rod with which they had been punished,” Isaiah 9:3, 4. Like our forbearers, we have enjoyed the bounty of the Lord’s hand. We have been shielded from the rod of persecution by His mighty hand. But unlike them, we have turned away from Him. We have disdained His favor. May He have mercy on us, remove our arrogance and revive us so we may be blessed again.
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