M
MrVersatile48
Guest
BreakPoint with Charles Colson
http://www.breakpoint.org
Having Undertaken for the Glory of God
Chuck Colson
The Mayflower Compact
In just a few weeks, Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday that
people of all faiths observe. But between stuffing the turkey and watching
football, we ought to make sure our children and grandchildren understand
the Christian roots of this holiday, which are often downplayed in school.
The first step is to brush up on the details ourselves.
On September 6, 1620, the Mayflower set sail from England. Ten perilous
weeks later, the Pilgrims arrived on the northern tip of Cape Cod. As my
friend Barbara Rainey writes in her excellent new book, Thanksgiving: A
Time to Remember, "This was about sixty miles north of their intended
destination at the mouth of the Hudson River." Should they sail south, or
stay put?
After much discussion and prayer, they decided to stay. But when the
passengers learned of this, dissension broke out. The Pilgrims had a
charter with a company that was effective only at the original landing
site.
As Rainey writes, "The bonded servants on board [who were not
Pilgrims] argued that [the decision to stay] changed the terms of their
work agreement." The Pilgrims were afraid that these men would declare
their independence and deplete the labor supply. Something had to be done to restore unity.
As the Mayflower's captain worked his way around the Cape, searching for a
place to drop anchor, an intense debate ensued. By nightfall, the leaders
had drafted an agreement, called the Mayflower Compact. Among its key
clauses were these words: "Having undertaken for the glory of God and
advancement of the Christian Faith . . . a voyage to plant the First Colony
. . . [we] solemnly . . . in the presence of God and of one another,
Covenant . . . ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic. . . . "
As Rainey writes, the compact was a hedge against revolt, but it meant muchmore. The Pilgrims took it seriously; their Bible told them just how significant covenants were.
In the Old Testament, God created covenants between Himself and His people, the Israelites. In the New Testament, God covenants with all who choose to follow Him through the life, sacrificial death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As Rainey writes, the Pilgrims "journeyed to this new land to proclaim by
their lives this message of redemption, the New Covenant, and the light of
Christ.
This covenant that God established with His people became their
model for the Mayflower Compact as well as for the peace treaty they
established with Massasoit and his people.
They knew a God who keeps His word, and therefore they were faithful to keep their word, their promises to one another and to others."
The Mayflower Compact became one of the most important documents in
American history - and yet, its religious language may make some teachers
reluctant to teach it. But that same language reveals the lengths to which
the Pilgrims were willing to go to follow the Lord.
If you have youngsters in your family, consider giving them a copy of
Barbara Rainey's book Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember. And talk about it at Thanksgiving: Let them learn how a small band of ordinary people
covenanted together to build a new life-and to serve one another through
Jesus Christ.
That's something you can really be thankful for.
This commentary first aired on November 3, 2005.
http://www.breakpoint.org
Having Undertaken for the Glory of God
Chuck Colson
The Mayflower Compact
In just a few weeks, Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday that
people of all faiths observe. But between stuffing the turkey and watching
football, we ought to make sure our children and grandchildren understand
the Christian roots of this holiday, which are often downplayed in school.
The first step is to brush up on the details ourselves.
On September 6, 1620, the Mayflower set sail from England. Ten perilous
weeks later, the Pilgrims arrived on the northern tip of Cape Cod. As my
friend Barbara Rainey writes in her excellent new book, Thanksgiving: A
Time to Remember, "This was about sixty miles north of their intended
destination at the mouth of the Hudson River." Should they sail south, or
stay put?
After much discussion and prayer, they decided to stay. But when the
passengers learned of this, dissension broke out. The Pilgrims had a
charter with a company that was effective only at the original landing
site.
As Rainey writes, "The bonded servants on board [who were not
Pilgrims] argued that [the decision to stay] changed the terms of their
work agreement." The Pilgrims were afraid that these men would declare
their independence and deplete the labor supply. Something had to be done to restore unity.
As the Mayflower's captain worked his way around the Cape, searching for a
place to drop anchor, an intense debate ensued. By nightfall, the leaders
had drafted an agreement, called the Mayflower Compact. Among its key
clauses were these words: "Having undertaken for the glory of God and
advancement of the Christian Faith . . . a voyage to plant the First Colony
. . . [we] solemnly . . . in the presence of God and of one another,
Covenant . . . ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic. . . . "
As Rainey writes, the compact was a hedge against revolt, but it meant muchmore. The Pilgrims took it seriously; their Bible told them just how significant covenants were.
In the Old Testament, God created covenants between Himself and His people, the Israelites. In the New Testament, God covenants with all who choose to follow Him through the life, sacrificial death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As Rainey writes, the Pilgrims "journeyed to this new land to proclaim by
their lives this message of redemption, the New Covenant, and the light of
Christ.
This covenant that God established with His people became their
model for the Mayflower Compact as well as for the peace treaty they
established with Massasoit and his people.
They knew a God who keeps His word, and therefore they were faithful to keep their word, their promises to one another and to others."
The Mayflower Compact became one of the most important documents in
American history - and yet, its religious language may make some teachers
reluctant to teach it. But that same language reveals the lengths to which
the Pilgrims were willing to go to follow the Lord.
If you have youngsters in your family, consider giving them a copy of
Barbara Rainey's book Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember. And talk about it at Thanksgiving: Let them learn how a small band of ordinary people
covenanted together to build a new life-and to serve one another through
Jesus Christ.
That's something you can really be thankful for.
This commentary first aired on November 3, 2005.