More Like You

“Father God, Bless this food that we are about to receive…” If you are like me, grace before meals includes a prayer similar to this one. However, is that the way we are suppose to pray before a meal? This post is not meant to discourage prayer before meals, but to give light to what God wants us to do. I believe that one should give thanks for everything God provides. However, the traditions of grace before meals, in some circles, has removed the respect, honor, and appreciation for what God has provided us by asking for theI food to be blessed. We inadvertently remove the glory from God and make it about the food.  While there is no specific command to pray before meals found in the bible. We do, however, have reference to Jesus doing it. Mathew 14:19

“And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.”

In the Torah God gave a commandment to give thanks after a meal. Deutoronmy 8:10.

“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.”

There is a Jewish prayer for just this occasion.

“Blessed is The Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, who sustains the entire world with goodness, kindness and mercy. God gives food to all creatures, for God’s mercy is everlasting. Through God’s abundant goodness we have not lacked sustenance, and may we not lack sustenance forever, for the sake of God’s great name. God sustains all, does good to all, and provides food for all the creatures whom God has created. Blessed is The Lord our God, who provides food for all.”

The reason for prayer before or after meals is to give thanks to God, and not give blessing to the food. So where did blessing the food come from? To answer this question we must first turn our attention to the King James Version bible. Mathew 26:26

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

From this passage of scripture we see that Jesus blessed it. However, the word “it” is italicized in the KJV bible because it is not in the original Greek but was added during the translation. It should read

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave blessing, broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, and eat; this is my body.”

In the end it is not about the food, but about honoring God. Whether you give thanks to God before meals or after meals, we should give thanks for Everything God has provided. It’s all about God.

How many of us only truly seek God when in time of need? From finances to health, what ever the crisis, that is the time that most of us cry out to God for help. We pray, we seek, and we ask for guidance. But, more often then not once we have been delivered out of the dire situation we take control and lead ourselves. We tend to get caught up in the good things in our life, and our pride builds blinding us from what God has done. We tend to make something else other than God our foundation, at least until the next trial in our life. Psalms 4:2 says:

” How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?”

I know that this scripture relates to more of us than we want to believe. For the past several years I have been turning his glory to shame. I have been in love with my false god, my career. I have taken the reigns and maintained my current coarse without asking God if this be his will. Little by little I have stopped thanking him and praising him for the awesome blessings he has provided me. I have been dishonoring God for the work He has done for my family and my career. In all things, not just bad we must praise God. Not for our glory or righteousness, but for His. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 states:

“Rejoice Always, Pray Continually, Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”

For anyone who can relate to this I leave you with some advice; advice even I am working on. Stop in your current path, question everything in your life. (Is my family in the place God wants for us? Am I in the career path God wants me in? Am I doing what God wants me to do?) Ask for guidance, and most importantly rejoice, pray, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods will.