POSTED 27 NOVEMBER, 2008

Giving Thanks

by Mark Huey
mark@outreachisrael.net

reproduced from the McHuey Blog

This time of year brings to mind a flood of different memories from the past for most Americans who celebrate the Thanksgiving tradition of gathering at an autumnal feast to give thanks to God. Whether it is the association or remembrance of family reunions, visiting friends, seasonal food selections, or giving to worthy causes—just about everyone can reach back in their memory banks and give thanks for this annual custom. After all, roasting a turkey, overeating casseroles or tempting desserts, or helping the needy are all things that most have experienced in this country.

From a family that has lived in another culture for almost a year, including one Thanksgiving, let me say that Americans—despite what some would claim—are materially blessed beyond reasonable measure. If you are not aware of this reality, try living in another country rather than simply being a tourist, and you will perhaps undoubtedly come to some similar conclusion. If you are so blessed as we were, you will become even more thankful for the privilege of living in America once you have spent time in distant lands.

Of course, material blessings are primarily a byproduct of the spiritual blessings established down through the centuries by our predecessors in the faith. The Second Commandment describes not only the extension of iniquities to the descendents of those that hate God, but conversely the multitude of blessings (or lovingkindness) that is forwarded to great numbers (and perhaps generations) by those who have loved God and followed His ways. Notice that the promise to extend lovingkindness has a caveat that includes loving God and keeping His commandments:

“You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Exodus 20:5-6).

We are confident that our forefathers in the faith who came to these distant shores more than five hundred years ago, based on their written testimonies about trust in the God of the Holy Scriptures, are in some remote if not direct ways responsible for many of the spiritual and material blessings we enjoy today. Certainly a review of some of the founding documents that trace their roots to the Magna Carta of England down through the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, have language and principles that are directly descended from many of the precepts established in the Word of God. Consequently, true to His Word, the Holy One continues to bestow His lovingkindness upon our nation because our forefathers sincerely loved God and included many variations of His commandments in the statutes and laws that were incorporated into the fabric of American jurisprudence. Since those days, the blessings have come forth eliciting our heartfelt thanks to not only God, but the early American pioneers that have preceded us.

This year, despite the current turmoil in the economic and political arenas that we are still sorting through with the rest of America, we are especially grateful to each of you who have supported our efforts to serve the Messianic community. It has been a great blessing for each of us to spend our time searching the Scriptures in order to freely present to you and others viable teachings, exhortations, admonitions, and answers to frequently asked questions that you send our way.

We want to thank you for your faithfulness toward our efforts! Without your support of our work, the time we have to invest in reading, researching, writing, and editing various teachings would be substantially limited. We are especially giving thanks for you and your blessings to our household! Our prayer is that you will be filled to overflowing with the joy that comes from knowing who you are in the Messiah, and loving and serving Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength!

We praise and thank God for you and yours. Have a wonderful and meaningful Thanksgiving!

Mark, Margaret, John, Jane, and Maggie

Mark Huey (B.A., Vanderbilt University in History and Graduate Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) is the Director of Outreach Israel Ministries (www.outreachisrael.net). He is the author of several books, including: TorahScope, Volumes I & II, and Counting the Omer: A Daily Devotional Toward Shavuot. He is also co-author of Hebraic Roots: An Introductory Study.