THANKSGIVING DAY

by the late Rev. G. H. Kersten.

Beloved, “Know ye not that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” This question which the apostle asked should be bound seriously upon our hearts, especially on this Thanksgiving day. The Lord, during the year which lies behind us, has blessed us abundantly. “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities,” Ps. 103:10. The grain is in the barns and the fruits of the land have been gathered, and if the Lord is pleased for a time to withhold this increase because of the cold weather, then that which has been stored away will serve as food for our nation. It is only the goodness of the Lord which He has bestowed upon us.

But this I say not only with an eye to the ingathering of the fruits of the field but also with an eye upon each of us and our families. Surely, the goodness of the Lord is great and if we may have an impression of our sins and iniquities, then the Lord’s goodness will become very great for us, because, for those who may bow before God to the depths of hell, His goodness reaches to the highest heights. This holds true for deliverance from sickness when He gives us health and life; this also holds true for our nation in general. The Lord has bestowed His benefits upon us and it behooves us to honor Him with Thanksgiving.

But this Thanksgivng day is at the same time a day which calls to repentance. “Know ye not that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” This means, forsaking of sins and returning to the God toward whom we have turned the back and in whose communion lies our blessedness and life. Therefore it is so necessary for us, as well as for our nation, to be constantly shown the reason of all evil, namely sin, and that we should stand still and consider that there is a time for repentance. For God can cut us off in His righteous judgment, remove us from this life, and pour out the vials of His wrath over the world. But before He comes with His judgements and again strikes the earth with His anathema, He gives a time to return.

Now then, to this given time to seek God, I wish to draw your attention according to the word of the prophet Hosea, the 10th chapter, the last part of verse 12: “Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness upon you.”

Beloved, this is a serious exhortation given from the Word of God to the entire world. “Break up your fallow ground!” Cut away the weeds because God’s judgments are coming. Surely they are coming with haste! It will be the poisonous hemlock among the grain. Where is it leading to in the world? Answer this by letting your conscience speak. No, rather, let God’s Word tell us because that Word will be fulfilled. With how much concern and anxiety we must view the future when we consider that God is ripening us for new world judgements. Just go back to our former life.

Oh that it may take hold upon us; that we may be humbled before the face of the Lord so that our nation may be kept from the judgements, before God becomes tired of us. And now I will not say anymore about it. The world discusses it and the politicians present it cautiously, but, my hearers, let us go to God’s Word. That Word says, “Break up your fallow ground, do not go over it shallowly, but cut into it deeply.” This also holds true for the church. “Break up your fallow ground.” God’s Word must cut through and it must be in such a way that we say, “Lord, wilt Thou renew us inwardly?”

Nowadays it is a daubing over and speaking peace with words like this, “Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, we are going to heaven,” But this will turn out otherwise. Are we not convinced that this is wrong and that not every person is included in the Covenant? I would like to know how a person can come out of a broken covenant of works and come into a covenant with God outside of Christ. A child among us can understand that this is impossible. This is plowing with a stubble-plow; it is going lightly over the field, only talking a little about conversation. But, my hearers, tell me, “When and where have you become a condemned sinner before God?” If you say, “This is too severe; what kind of doctrine is this? But can it be otherwise than that we must lose everything and perish with all things? Oh, if this takes place how fortunate we would be. The Lord brings a person into the pit. Oh, that I could bring a person into the pit so that he would begin to cry, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” But if we begin to say, “This deep plow-share must not go in,” then Christ is placed in the background. And to prevent this it is necessary to plow deeply. The Lord still gives us time to seek God. This Thanksgiving-day could be the last which we celebrate together. Ah, let God’s Word penetrate deeply. Break up your fallow ground! May we hasten for our lives’ sake. Soon when death overtakes us, the world falls away, and all things of time which we think are so important and are so busy with, will leave us, and then we must appear before God. And then, what will be our portion? May the Lord sanctify His Word to our hearts.

Break up your fallow ground, people of God! Set the plow in! On our side we must show evidences of being lost with all our experiences but saved solely in Christ, so that our happiness and praise may be in the Lord. In this way may we seek and find the Lord, because, oh, the furrowed ground cries for rain. Say, it can not be otherwise and neither do I want it otherwise because it has become the life of my life. May this become the exercise of our soul, for otherwise we can sin so easily.

I recollect an example out of my youthful days. If any of God’s children walked along the streets, the children would sometimes gather their playthings and hide themselves because they were afraid these people would speak to them. There was respect for God’s people. But it is so far from this today. Why? Because the life in them is so far from God and their object is their own prestige. May we seek the Lord so that righteousness may rain upon us. May God keep His church in whatever oppressions overtake her. The people of God will be delivered! They are a people who have been plowed and the fruit which this brings forth is being saved. May this be our strength and comfort. Soon we will praise God eternally, when the perfect day of Thanksgiving shall dawn for us. For we, while on earth, have learned to praise God in a small beginning. Thus, may He give us that breaking up of our fallow ground, also in the seriousness of the times. May we find shelter with the Lord and that He would rain righteousness out of heaven upon us, so that He may receive from His people the honor, and the adoration, and the thanksgivng.

Amen.

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