As we approach Thanksgiving, most of us have images of Pilgrims and Native Americans gathered around a shared meal. This historic feast, held in 1621 by the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony and their Wampanoag neighbors, was quite the meal, but it was quite different from what we imagine. Likely, the Pilgrims and natives sat on the ground and ate with their hands, enjoying a feast that included some type of fowl (likely more goose than turkey), probably some fish, and maybe some vegetables such as turnips and carrots. There was no pumpkin pie, no sweet potatoes, and no cranberry sauce.
But it was more than just a meal—it was a moment of gratitude and resilience as they prepared for the winter ahead. The Pilgrims, English Separatists who had left England and ventured across the Atlantic in 1620 on the Mayflower, held their Thanksgiving feast the next autumn to celebrate a successful harvest, honoring God for his provision. The event, marked by “a great store of wild turkeys” and a remarkable alliance with the Wampanoag, was a testament to their faith and gratitude.[1]
Their expressions of thanks were rooted in their understanding of God’s grace, revealed in documents like the Mayflower Compact. This covenant, crafted in the presence of God, expressed the Pilgrims’ commitment to advancing the Christian faith. These early settlers saw their survival and success as a testament to divine favor. Their observance of Thanksgiving laid the foundation for a national tradition, which presidents from George Washington to Abraham Lincoln would later endorse as a public acknowledgment of God’s providence.
But for Christians, our celebration of Thanksgiving goes back even further—much further, in fact, than the shores of Plymouth. The ultimate foundation of Thanksgiving reaches back to the biblical storyline of Creation, Fall, and Redemption. This overarching story reveals Thanksgiving as more than a historical holiday; it is a way of viewing life and history through the lens of the gospel, fostering gratitude at every turn.
The overarching story of the Bible reveals Thanksgiving as more than a historical holiday—it is a way of viewing life and history through the lens of the gospel, fostering gratitude to God at every turn.
The first act of the biblical story—Creation—shows us that humanity was made to live in gratitude toward God. When God created the world, he declared it good and gifted humanity with the beauty and abundance of his creation (Gen. 1-2). We were designed not only to live in harmony with creation but to honor our Creator with grateful hearts. The apostle Paul underscores this truth as he contrasts it with his description of unbelief: “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom. 1:21). The results of not thanking God in this verse show us that gratitude isn’t optional but fundamental to the Christian faith.
The heart of Thanksgiving is found here: we were created to recognize and appreciate God’s goodness in all things. Our lives are meant to overflow with thanksgiving as we live in God’s world, honoring him as the source of all good things.
Yet, humanity’s story did not remain in the bliss of Eden. The fall, as recounted in Genesis, marks the moment when gratitude was exchanged for discontent. Adam and Eve, led astray by the serpent, became dissatisfied with God’s gifts and sought something more (Gen. 3). Indeed, as Ann Voskamp notes in One Thousand Gifts, the first couple’s fall is characterized by “the sin of ingratitude.” In turning from God, humanity lost its fundamental orientation of thanksgiving, and with it, our relationship with the Creator was broken.
This ingratitude is the root of all human sin—a rejection of what God has given and an attempt to find satisfaction apart from him. Our own lives often mirror this pattern. We, too, struggle to balance appreciation for physical blessings with spiritual gratitude. In a culture where Thanksgiving has become more about indulgence than reverence, it’s easy to overlook Thanksgiving as an opportunity to renew our walk with God as we acknowledge him as the Giver of all things.
Thankfully, God’s story does not end with humanity’s ingratitude. In the person of Jesus, God entered into our broken world and lived the life of perfect thanksgiving that we could not. Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus exemplified gratitude to his Father. Consider Jesus’ prayer: “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children” (Matt. 11:25). In every moment—from feeding the hungry to raising the dead—Jesus gave thanks, recognizing the Father’s hand at work.
What’s more, Jesus’ ultimate act of thanksgiving came on the night of his betrayal, when he took bread and gave thanks, signifying the new covenant in his blood (Luke 22:19). Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus not only restored our relationship with God but also redeemed our capacity for gratitude. His perfect thanksgiving covers our own failures to give thanks, and through faith in Him, we are empowered to live lives of genuine appreciation toward God.
As Christians, thanksgiving should permeate our daily lives. Through Jesus, we are freed from the cycle of ingratitude and empowered to live as people marked by thankfulness. In the words of the apostle Paul, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Col. 2:6-7).
Our gratitude flows from the knowledge that we are both God’s creatures and his redeemed children. Thanksgiving, then, is not limited to a holiday or an annual ritual; it is the heartbeat of the Christian life. Every day, we are invited to live in gratitude for the countless blessings—both physical and spiritual—that God has lavished upon us. Our thankfulness is not just for the gifts we receive but for the ultimate gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
In this season of Thanksgiving, as we gather with loved ones and reflect on the Pilgrims’ courageous faith, we have the perfect opportunity to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for [us]” (1 Thess. 5:18). Let us remember the deeper story behind our gratitude. Thanksgiving should function as more than a historical holiday; it should be a response to the gospel, a life of worship, and a call to honor our Creator and Redeemer.
This Thanksgiving may our hearts be renewed by the biblical story of Creation, Fall, and Redemption. May we see Thanksgiving not as a day but as a way of life—a continual expression of gratitude to the God who made us, saved us, and sustains us.
FOOTNOTES
[1] From the journals of Plymouth Colony Governor William Bradford, https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1650bradford.asp#First%20harvest.
No spam, stay up to date on new articles, resources and events!
Get notified about new articles from the Institute.
