The history of the first Thanksgiving meal as described by Smithsonian.com tells us that turkey was always the centerpiece, but other courses have since disappeared. Menu items may also have included wildfowl, corn, porridge and venison. The harvest festival was shared by the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians at Plymouth Colony in 1621. Edward Winslow, an English leader who attended, wrote home to a friend with the information regarding the menu shared and the reality of the setting and hardship paralleling this gathering. Thus, the beginning of this special day in our nation is a Thanksgiving to the God that planned America to happen.

Before the national Thanksgiving, there were only individual stories of dedicated thanksgiving, worship and praise. One such story of Hannah, an Israelite woman, is one of two wives to a man named Elkanah. The other wife, Peninnah, would taunt her regularly for she had many children and Hannah’s barren misery was indeed immense. The scripture reads in 1 Samuel 1:7; This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. This went on because she did not have children.

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, when Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant, but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” As Eli saw her mouth move without sound, he thought she was drunk, but she prayed and Hannah spoke to God in her heart. In reply to the priest who said for her to put her wine away. “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.

In the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” (1 Sa 1:20) The Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And they worshipped the Lord there.

Thanksgiving and praise for the many requests of USA citizens made to the Creator for the harvest, the job, the material success is offered to the Highest. What have I to be grateful of this season would be a long, long list. Hannah offered a prayer of gratitude. Prayers of gratitude have been around since long before the Thanksgiving dinner of 1621. During the historic feast, the Pilgrims said a prayer of thanks before beginning their meal with the Wampanoag native Americans. The Pilgrims looked to the Bible to express gratitude and thank God for their first harvest. They were inspired by the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Ingathering of the Israelites and looked upon their harvest, as it is one of the most jubilant feasts still to date.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. (Psalm 100:4)

N. Brad Carter Jr. is a Meridian resident and operates WMER (1390 AM). He hosts a radio bible class. Email rbc@wmerworldwide.com.