I’ve been wanting to read Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving for a while, but just hadn’t gotten around to it. But finally, I decided to pick up this incredible little book and give it a read through. I’m so glad I did!
This is the story about the beginning of our country. But also about how God is always with us, even when things look desperate and hopeless.
Squanto was a young boy from a friendly tribe in North America. He naively went out to meet some men who were rowing to the shore close to where their tribe lived. These strange men looked nothing like the men of his tribe. He was fascinated! However, these men deceived him and took him into their ship’s hold. After several weeks of traveling, they landed in Malaga, Spain. And before he realized what was happening, he was sold as a slave.
But God’s plans are good and are never thwarted. Even when things are grossly unfair and scary. He was purchased by monks who took him in, fed him, and taught him their language as well as their faith. These monks then endeavored to reunite him back with his family across the ocean again.
This meant sending young Squanto to England, where again, he waited for a ship to take him across the ocean. He was taken in by a good family, who allowed him to live in their home. And most importantly, they taught him the English language.
After 10 long years, Squanto was on his way back to his tribe. However, when he arrived there he was horrifically disappointed. He found his village, but it was abandoned. Disease had wiped out his entire village. Everyone had died.
He went to the neighboring village to live for a while, but eventually found himself in the woods by himself. He missed his tribe terribly. Then one day, he went to where his village was located and found familiar faces occupying the land, speaking a familiar language – English!
Squanto waved a “Hello!” and spoke to the people in English. Can you imagine their shock and surprise? These people were the Pilgrims who had landed on the shores of America just one year before. Half of them had died. They had faced a difficult winter where they were incredibly unprepared.
How incredible that a sovereign God orchestrated all these various people’s lives to cross so beautifully on the Northern shores of America! Squanto was blessed to know that his life had helped so many by the knowledge he was able to share with the exhausted and discouraged Pilgrims. And the Pilgrims were blessed to know that they were able to give Squanto the opportunity to see children and families thriving in the same area of his beloved village.
Both the Pilgrims and Squanto were able to see the hand of God in their circumstances. Throughout all of the hardships and confusion and frustration, God was with them. He had a purpose and an incredible plan.
This book really helped to remind me how God truly works in all circumstances. We may never fully understand why some things take so long or why all of the detours or the difficulties. But when we place our trust in Christ, He is faithful to always be with us and He never forsakes us, no matter the circumstances (Romans 8:38 – 39).
This story is truly an amazing story of the goodness of God.
I pray your Thanksgiving is full of thanks to our awesome God! He is good. All the time. And all the time, God is good.
