As you’re gathering today around the table to eat all the wonderful food someone has prepared for you, take a moment to recount this story to your loved ones.

After ten arduous weeks crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the Pilgrims landed near the tip of Cape Cod in November, 1620. The group of 102 Pilgrims finally reached their destination: the new promised land! They were a little late, but they made it.

That first winter was deadly for the Pilgrims. Approximately half of the 102 Pilgrims died during the first few months.  

There were 17 husbands…
10 died during the first infection.

There were 17 wives…
only 3 were left by February.

By the spring, only 53 Pilgrims were left to continue the dream of starting a new life in the Americas. Was it worth it? If they would have known that 49 men, women, and children would die and only 53 would make it, would they have still made the journey?

I believe their answer would have been a resounding yes. The Pilgrims did not press towards this new land for riches, fame, and power. Their reason had a divine purpose. While it is true that they were discouraged from the hard life they had in Holland and they were concerned that their children were being drawn away by evil in the extravagant lifestyle of so many Europeans. If you would ask each of the 102 Pilgrims why they were willing to risk their life for such an endeavor, this would be their answer:

“We want to advance the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in the remotest parts of the world.”

The Pilgrims sailed upon the Mayflower across the Atlantic Ocean. This was the Mayflower Compact. When is the last time you have read it?  

In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, by the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc.

Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine our selves together into a civil body politick, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Cod the 11 of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Dom. 1620.

In the NAME of God.

By the GRACE of God.

For the GLORY of God.

ADVANCEMENT of the Christian faith.

This was the motivating principle behind the perseverance of the Pilgrims. They were willing to risk even their own lives to advance their faith for the glory, grace, and name of God.

The long, sad winter passed and spring arrived. One day, a Native American walked into the Pilgrim settlement. The children were terrified at first because they had been warned of the violence from some of the tribes. But this Native American smiled at them and said, “Welcome.” His name was Samoset and he was from the Wampanoag tribe.

The Pilgrims asked Samoset many questions and they gave him presents to show how much they appreciated him and wanted to live in peace. Samoset left the settlement, but then came back later with another Native American named Squanto. Squanto spoke even better English.

Squanto seemed drawn to the Pilgrims and helped them in many different ways. He showed them how to survive in the wilderness: how to hunt for deer, were to find berries and nuts, and how to plant corn. Squanto explained to them that by placing fish in the ground when they planted the corn see would create a more nourishing soil.

The friendship between the Pilgrims and Native Americans grew during the first year. Fast forward to November, 1621. Several Pilgrims were hunting for food for a harvest celebration. The Wampanoag tribe heard the gunshots and alerted their leader because they thought that the Pilgrims might be preparing for war. After realizing that the Pilgrims were merely hunting deer, the leader sent some of his own men to hunt deer for the feast.

The 53 Pilgrims who survived celebrated their colony’s first fall harvest with 90 Wampanoag Native Americans. The feast lasted for three days. The menu for the first Thanksgiving meal was most likely this:

Deer.

Corn.

Lobster, mussels, oyster, eel.  

Vegetables: onions, carrots, beans, spinach, lettuce.

Turkey (maybe).

They played various games, sang, and danced.

Enthusiastic joy was found at the first thanksgiving more than four hundred years ago. The Pilgrims had made it through the hardest year of their life, and that was worth celebrating. And no doubt the Pilgrims were hoping to share with their new Native American friends the truth about Jesus dying on the cross to save all of humanity from sin. Let us never forget why we are here on this planet. No matter what difficulties might come our way, we can “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Spend a moment this Thanksgiving break talking about your “low” moments and “high” moments from this past year with your loved ones. And make sure you give thanks to your God for sustaining you daily with His goodness.  

Give thanks to the Lord, 
for He is good; 
His love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34