I want to wish everyone here in the United States a very Happy Thanksgiving! And I hope what I share with you here encourages all believers to find reason to celebrate a Happy Thanksgiving everyday; and that everyone around the world who is part of the body of believers in Christ – those faithful and obedient to Him - finds this an inspiring story in their spiritual journey as well.

How come I had never heard about the story of Squanto? Now in my mid-fifties, I had never heard of this story. Yes… there were these friendly Indians who helped the Pilgrims and taught them to live off the land… but when I heard the real full story according to God, I was moved to tears because I could clearly recognize the Lord’s hand in all of it and with the deepest of affection and reverence couldn’t help think …that is soooo like our Lord, isn’t it? In all the years of celebrating Thanksgiving year after year and hearing the story of the Pilgrims so many times, the key element to that whole event – our Almighty All Knowing God’s role – has been minimized! He who is the author of what has happened in the past, what is happening in our lives today, and what will happen in the future is so often intentionally ignored or obfuscated by the world! Why do the churches not herald the story of Squanto from the rooftops to prove to a disbelieving, skeptical, seemingly hopeless world that there is indeed a God and He is in charge and taking care of what He needs to for His Purpose - and the inception of all His Plans were seeded before our Time and comes to fruition just as He means it to according to His Time.

For those who have not heard of the story of Squanto, it is the story of an Indian boy who was captured by the British to be sold into slavery. He “happened” to end up in Spain rescued by the Catholic monks who instead taught him about God and set him free. He “happened” to end up returning to America… to the land of his people. It just “happened” to be where the Pilgrims were struggling to survive. The first winter for the Pilgrims had been brutal and half the population had died. Moreover, where they had first landed they had faced unfriendly Indians which “happened” to make them move up the coast to where Squanto’s people lived. So Squanto returned… to find out his people had all died from a sickness… to have a heart prepared by God to encourage the local Indians to help the Pilgrims learn to survive in the New World.

The day of Thanksgiving was celebrated by both the Pilgrims and the Indians where our God had become Squanto’s God much as Ruth, a pagan Moabite had been prepared to become the great-grandmother of David because our God had become her God. Why are acts and events we so often see as miracles that happen throughout history and which continue to happen to this very day - and the seeds of His intentions have been planted far in advance and often one may be able to trace it just as in Corrie ten Boom’s Tapestry – why are they not studied, acknowledged, exalted for His Glory. It would bring such assurance to so many and give them a clear visible sign of our God. To know that He LIVES!

This should be a personal story for all Americans. That our nation was meant to be born according to God, and it was blessed by our Lord for our faith and good works in Him. And only by abiding in Him gives us the assurance and promise of our salvation as a great nation… as a Christian people… as eternal souls bound for heaven. This is a message He intends to give one way or another to the entire world through the history and future of America.