Complimentary Story
March 2026On October 3, 1789, our first president, George Washington, issued a proclamation that would set a precedent for generations to come. In it, he declared that 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. He appointed a day for the people of the United States to unite in public thanksgiving and prayer, acknowledging “the many signal favors of Almighty God.”
It is striking that one of the earliest official acts of our newly formed government was not merely political, but spiritual. Washington called the nation to gratitude — not to feasting, not to recreation — but to thanksgiving and prayer. He urged the people to seek God’s pardon for national transgressions, to ask for wisdom in leadership, and to pray that the government would be just, faithful, and a blessing to its citizens. Even before the United States had fully found its footing, there was a clear recognition that its safety and happiness rested in the hands of Almighty God.
This was not an isolated event. During the Revolutionary War, Washington frequently set aside times for prayer, fasting, and thanksgiving, even in the midst of uncertainty. After the victory at Saratoga in 1777, he proclaimed a day of gratitude to God. From the earliest days of our republic, thanksgiving was closely tied to dependence upon divine providence.
Decades later, in the darkest days of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued his own Thanksgiving proclamation on October 3, 1863. The nation was divided, families were torn apart, and thousands had perished on the battlefield. Yet Lincoln declared that the year had still been filled with blessings — fruitful fields, healthful skies, increasing population, and preserved peace with foreign nations. He acknowledged that these were not the result of human counsel or mortal hands, but “the gracious gifts of the Most High God.”
Even while calling for gratitude, Lincoln also called for humility. He urged the nation to confess its sins and to pray for widows, orphans, mourners, and sufferers in the terrible conflict. Thanksgiving, in his view, was not blind optimism. It was reverent acknowledgment of God’s mercy in the midst of judgment, and a plea for healing and restoration. He invited the American people to unite with “one heart and one voice” in praise to their beneficent Father.
In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt echoed a similar sentiment. He recommended that on Thanksgiving Day, the people should cease from their daily work and meet in their homes or churches to thank the Almighty. Notably, his emphasis was not on abundance of food, but on spiritual growth. He warned that material prosperity, though abundant, must be matched by moral and spiritual progress. “The things of the body are good,” he said, “the things of the intellect better; the best of all are the things of the soul.” In both nation and individual, it is character that counts.
More recently, in 2019, President Donald J. Trump issued a Thanksgiving proclamation that once again rehearsed much of this history. He reflected on the Pilgrims’ journey nearly four centuries ago — their hardship, their perseverance, and their gratitude after a difficult first year in the New World. Despite severe loss and uncertainty, they paused to thank God for a harvest and for the relationships that sustained them.
That proclamation, like those before it, invited Americans to gather in homes and places of worship to offer prayer and thanksgiving to Almighty God. It also encouraged the nation to remember members of the military, law enforcement officers, and first responders who serve and protect, often at great personal sacrifice. Once again, the emphasis was clear: gratitude is rooted not merely in abundance, but in recognition of God’s providence and protection.
Across centuries and vastly different circumstances — revolution, civil war, prosperity, and modern challenges — our leaders have repeatedly called this nation back to one central truth: our blessings come from God. They have acknowledged His providence in victory and defeat, in peace and in trial. They have reminded the people that thanksgiving is not merely a holiday tradition but a sacred responsibility.
It is easy for the Thanksgiving holiday to become routine. We gather, we eat, we enjoy time with family, and then we move on. Yet historically, Thanksgiving has been more than a day of feasting. It has been a day of prayer, confession, humility, and praise. It has been a collective pause to recognize that no human wisdom, strength, or strategy can accomplish what God alone provides.
As we consider this heritage, perhaps we, too, should pause and reflect. Do we acknowledge the source of our blessings? Do we thank God not only for prosperity, but also for His sustaining grace in hardship? Do we pray for our leaders, for our nation, and for those who serve and protect us?
The Apostle Paul writes, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Ultimately, the greatest thanksgiving is not for material abundance or national success, but for the victory secured through Christ. Earthly nations rise and fall, seasons change, and circumstances shift, but His gift of salvation remains.
Our history shows a consistent call to gratitude. May we not allow that call to fade into mere tradition. Instead, may we unite — individually and collectively — in sincere and humble thanks to Almighty God, acknowledging Him as the Author of every good gift, and seeking His continued guidance and mercy for the days ahead.
Emily Myers and her husband, Daniel, live on a small farm in Missouri where they homeschool their seven children. Emily is a Certified Professional Midwife. Together, Emily and Daniel co-authored “Expressions of Thanksgiving,” a family devotional designed to cultivate hearts of gratitude through Scripture, song, and reflection. Daniel also illustrated the book with his original artwork.
