We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.
Remember that hymn? (See previous post.) Just listening to the tune translates me back to my grade-school auditorium and its accompanying holiday program.
Initially, We Gather Together was a folk song written during the time the Dutch were engaged in a war of national liberation against Spain. Notice the first few words of the song—we gather together. Seemingly innocuous, these three words expressed potent dissent and protest; they resonated in the ears of King Phillip II of Spain who forbad the Dutch Protestants to gather for worship. Thankfully, the Dutch brought this song with them to the New World and this hymn of praise has become an American favorite especially during the Thanksgiving holiday.
I have heard that Thanksgiving is the most traveled weekend of the year. From near and far, we gather together with friends and family, around an abundant feast, offering thanks to God for his many blessings.
When I was growing up, we gathered with my father’s side of the family for the Thanksgiving holiday. With six children in his family, their respective spouses, and over a dozen grandchildren, the brood became too large for my grandparent’s home. Therefore, my grandfather made reservations at a local restaurant. We had our own private dining area and we still ate turkey and the normal fare. I enjoyed our different style of Thanksgiving and still have fond memories of sharing a table with my cousins at The Royal Footman Restaurant because it’s not about where you eat, it is about who you are with.
Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Jamaica, but all the missionaries gather at a central location to celebrate it regardless. We are still Americans after all! The turkey costs twice as much, fried onions are hard to come by, and the only pumpkin in Jamaica is green, but we make do because it’s not about what you eat, it’s about who you are giving thanks to.
And there are many things to be thankful for. We are thankful for the call of God on our lives. We are thankful for the children he has placed in our care. We are thankful for family, friends, and co- workers. We are thankful for God’s abundant provision. Lastly, we are thankful for our supporters and sponsors who help make what we do possible.
We are blessed.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Lesson: Today is the first Sunday in Advent. In this season of expectation, we anticipate the birth of the Christ child by lighting candles of symbolic significance. Today we light one purple candle, also known as the prophecy candle in our advent wreath. The candle is a reminder that God lovingly revealed Christ’s advent through the prophets hundreds of years before he was born. The color purple symbolizes penitence and royalty to remind us to prepare our hearts to receive our King.
