How Blessing the Meal before You Goes beyond the Food

God is great, God is good. 

Let us thank him for our food. 

By His hands we shall be fed. 

Give us Lord our daily bread. 

Amen. 

For many of us, this was something we learned to recite before we learned how to spell our full name. In fact, I cannot count the number of times I have said this prayer as a kid. Even so, I am just now beginning to truly dissect the meaning of each line and understand the importance of what I was taught at such a young age. While there is nothing wrong with this simple prayer, my intent is that in reading this post, each of you will begin a journey of offering gratitude for all things, thus leading you closer to Christ.

[[Four Reasons We Should Bless Our Meal]]

1. To celebrate who God is

          Every time we bow our heads to pray, we have the opportunity to thank God for being the great giver he is. As if his gift of Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice wasn't enough, he continues to gift us with unlimited grace, renewed strength, unshakable purpose, everlasting love, and so much more. Among the blessings he gives us, he also calls us. [[He calls us]]. God, the CREATOR of the entire Universe calls you! In the first chapter of Jeremiah, God tells him, "Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you". How would you feel if I told you that God has done the same for each of us, including you, because he has and that is so worthy of celebration! When we realize how great God is and how purposeful he was in creating us, the only way to respond is with thanksgiving. This is why we pray before our meals, before a date, before a job interview, after receiving the good health report, and even while stumbling through your storm. God is good. Forever. No matter our circumstances. Celebrate that. 

    2. To remember who provides for us

          It is often easy and so tempting to become discouraged when things don't go as planned but when we have God on our side there is no need. Psalm 16:8 says [I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.] This gives me so much hope and encouragement to press forward. Knowing that the Lord is powerful yet approachable and loving assures me that I am forever safe from the Devil's plan to steal, kill, and destroy. What more could I ask for? By taking a minute to offer thanksgiving before I eat, I am reminded of God's protection around me and the assurance of him always providing everything I will ever need. This awareness transforms to trusting that even if I don't see the final result or understand the purpose of a season of my life, God does, and he is working all things for his glory. 

     3. To redirect our hearts

          When we lose sight of who God is, our hearts usually wander. This sets us up for hopelessness, unguided actions, and dissatisfaction. In the latter part of Job, the writer tells that once we devote our hearts to God, put away our sins, and cleanse our hearts, we will stand tall and be secure because there is hope. Let me remind you that the plan for a purposeful future never vanished because God is constant; rather our hope vanished because we lost sight of God and allowed our hearts to stray from him. Praying before a meal is an easy opportunity to get back on track with God's plan for our lives and be encouraged when he picks up right where we left off and renews our strength. 

     4.  To give up what lies before us

          Of course this does not mean we literally have to give up our plate; instead I want you to grasp the idea of surrender. Surrender to the one that deserves it the most-God! As I said earlier, he gave the ultimate sacrifice so we should offer sacrifices too!! Beautifully written in Mark is the account of Jesus surrendering to God. Falling to his knees, Jesus said, "Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will but what you will." I am so humbled to see that even Jesus realizes the need of our Father, thus bowing before him. It encourages me to do the same. To [offer up] my possessions, my plans, and my hopes, all to honor the King of Kings. If a perfect man can do it, so can I. The trinity is such a powerful illustration of how we should honor God and live a life that pleases him. It helps us cling to God rather than our possessions because even Jesus did! Offering up something as simple as the meal before us trains our hearts to do the same in every aspect of our lives.  

Communication is key in any relationship and prayer is one way to communicate with God. Don't miss out on the opportunity to grow closer to him and expand his kingdom. My prayer for each of you is that next time you say the blessing, you offer more than words. I want you to be able to offer your heart. When you pray over your food, you can take that as an opportunity to pray and thank God for so much more than what sits before you. Be blessed by the experience that awaits you. Christ loves you and so do I! 

xoxo, Kins