For though the fig-tree shall not flourish, neither shall fruit be in the vines; The labor of the olive shall fail, And the fields shall yield no food; The Rock shall be cut off from the fold, And there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in Jehovah, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17–18
It may be difficult for many readers of THE OUTLOOK to remember 1939 when World War n was just beginning. The United States was not yet involved in the growing conflict, but many within this country knew what to expect. The outlook was indeed dark for the whole world, and consequently, I‘m told, most people adopted a very pessimistic attitude about observing the traditional Thanksgiving Day. It is reliably reported that even President Roosevelt seriously considered skipping the annual observance because he felt and was advised by many that the “usual” reasons for thanksgiving were absent. However, he did proclaim a Thanksgiving Day in 1939 and in his proclamation he said: “After all we still have God, we still have our faith, and someday we will be done with all wars.” IN OTHER WORDS, THERE WAS STILL SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR!! The idea seemed to be that since it was going to be a very drab and dreary Thanksgiving Day without all the usual abundance of food and festivity, we had better force our attention upon the more “intangible” realities and go ahead with the holiday anyway.
The actual result, however, was that Thanksgiving Day 1939, came closer to imitating the true thanksgiving of the pilgrims than any Thanksgiving Day, before or since! For as we have all learned from our history lessons, that first Thanksgiving Day in the new world was observed in the face of manifold privations and difficulties rather than copious abundance and peace.
That too was the “thanksgiving day” Habakkuk observed long before the pilgrim fathers came to the shores of the United States. His thanksgiving was observed in circumstances quite similar to those that pertain in our world as well as in the world of 1939. But the prophet saw God’s hand in nature because he had first seen God’s hand in grace!! His heart was “tuned to sing His grace.”
If we are to have a similarly blessed Thanksgiving Day, whether it comes for our Canadian friends in October, or readers in the United States in November, it will have to come from more than an official proclamation or a hallowed custom. It will come to us just as it came of old to the Lord‘s prophet in answer to prayer. The little that we know about the man Habakkuk we have to glean from a study of what he was led to write by the Holy Spirit. We learn from reading what he wrote that he was a man of clear faith; a man of wisdom who carefully studied God’s dealings with His chosen people and who observed painfully how unfaithful Israel had been to her husband. He wept over the terrible sins which resulted from the idol worship of his own people. The world was in ruins about him, idolatry rife, the hosts of the Caldeans were coming to destroy the remnant of Israel, and what did the prophet do? He poured out his complaint into the ear of God, not of man. This is just where we find Habakkuk at the opening of this third chapter, on his knees before the Lord, his soul bowed in grief before the One with Whom we have to do.
On his knees a marvelous scene was unfolded before his eyes as he was led to see God’s Guidance. He saw the wondrous way in which God had led Jacob like a Rock and Israel through the desert, spreading terror and consternation anlong the heathen. Such visions of good filled his heart with exultation and rejoicing.
Next, he saw God’s Goodness: namely, His presence, His provision, His program and His power. His presence, “thou wentest forth for the salvation of Thy people.” His provision, “thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.” His program, “thou woundest the head of the wicked for the salvation of thine anointed.” His power, “the mountains saw Thee and were afraid.” Now on the solid foundation of God’s guidance and goodness his eyes were opened to see God’s Gifts. “Tho the fig tree shall not flourish, neither fruit be on the vine . . .” God will remain faithful and changeless! Crops might fail, flocks be destroyed, fields be left barren, cattle killed, “BUT” God will have an abundant supply to meet every need. Now what greater reason for true thanksgiving could there be?
The application to everyone of us is so self-evident that it does not need to be labored. A full stomach is part of the traditional way of observing Thanksgiving Day, but the child of God knows that a full stomach is NO substitute at all for a changed heart!l! Our heart, not our stomach, needs to be tuned to sing His grace. True thanksgiving can come forth only out of the heart regenerated by God’s spirit, filled with His Word, and dedicated to His service.
Thanksgiving day is, therefore, a day for prayer . . . the prayer of the righteous “tune my heart.” But this is also, a day for song. For we read in verse one of this third chapter that this prayer of the prophet was set to music. Song follows prayer and is its incense. How blessed are all our prayers and supplications when they have the sweet charter of praise. And how great the difference between the opening and the closing of “the burden of Habakkuk.” He began on his knees as a man bewildered and confused but he closed as one who has found by grace all the answers to the questions of his soul. The superficial joy of the wicked ceases when the fig tree ceases to bloom and the vines no longer yield their fruit, but the joy of the righteous deep within the soul is unaffected by the changing circumstances of nature.
The prophet can do without figs, without olive oil or cattle in the shed, but NOT WITHOUT HIS God! Therefore, he vows that he will rejoice in God, in the God of his salvation. As an old, familiar song says, “streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.” Any man who has tasted of the Bread of Life will have a blessed Thanksgiving Day, whether he sits at a king‘s banquet or a poor man‘s table.
Garrett H. Stoutmeyer is pastor of the Faith Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan.