Yesterday, Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for, but to whom are we thankful?

When we ask that question, we have to look to the past to see what our forebears were giving thanks for at the onset of celebrations of Thanksgiving.

According to Canada’s History, some First Nations had traditions of giving thanks for surviving winter; and for receiving crops; and for receiving game; as a reward for their hard work. They gave thanks with feasting, prayer, dance, etc.

The first European Canadian Thanksgiving was celebrated in the 16^th Century at Frobisher Bay (Nunavut). Aboard a ship, they dined on simple maritime foods and gave thanks—for their safe arrival—by celebrating Communion.

On January 31^st, 1957, the Governor General of Canada, Vincent Massey, proclaimed Thanksgiving as “ . . . a day of general thanksgiving to almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed.” (Bolds are mine)

We can see that recognition of God’s providential hand in receiving blessings of work, crops and survival is a common thread for Thanksgiving.

Today, some urban dwellers can easily miss how a farmer looks to the heavens for rain and sunshine to produce crops because, to them, it seems that food magically appears on the supermarket shelves. They may never have considered how a sudden flood can drown a crop or that a dry spell may rob the plants of vital water to grow.

An employee may fail to see beyond the employer to the loving Father who has provided the wherewithal for the job to be available at the perfect time so that he or she is able to earn enough to to support a family.

How often have we seen on TV those with a simpler lifestyle hunting then giving thanks for the food with which they have been provided?

Yet, as we celebrate Thanksgiving, we must be aware that according to StatsCan, in 2021, 5.8 million Canadians are facing food insecurity, including 1.4 million children.

How can this be in such a bounteous country?

Our gratitude for God’s providence has diminished. From a government that once declared “a day of general thanksgiving to almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed” to a government that refuses to acknowledge the God of whom our National Anthem and our Constitution speak; to a government that fails to recognize His providential hand in our blessings as a nation; to a government that will barely pay lip service to our loving Father.

Our Christian heritage (did you notice that sounds like our Party name?) included giving thanks for bountiful harvests and safe travel. It included feasting, and prayer. Our heritage acknowledges and gives thanks for our many blessings.

Sadly, too many Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving without giving thanks to the Provider of our blessings . . . without acknowledging that it’s only through the providential hand of our Heavenly Father that we have food and shelter.

I hope yesterday, you had feasting, family and friendship. I hope that everyone took a moment to thank the Source of our bounty. I also hope that each of our hearts was so filled with gratitude that we danced and sang praises to our God. That’s a fitting tribute for the rich blessings each of us has experienced at His Hand.

As we face rising costs for food, shelter and fuel to get to work, may we look to our Heavenly Father, repent of our lack of gratitude and celebrate His almighty active Hand in our world today. May we, as a nation, celebrate our Christian heritage and give thanks throughout the year for the bounty with which He has blessed us.

Psalm 121:1-2, “I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Psalm 121:4, “indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”