When I was younger there were two common mealtime prayers that were said depending on where we were eating:
- At home: Thank You Jesus for this food. Amen.
- At Grandma and Grandpa’s: Come Lord Jesus be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen.
Regardless how you choose to say grace or ask for blessing over your food, here are some things you might want to think about.
Mundane prayers– When using the same prayer every time you sit down to eat, you might start to notice your prayer becomes more lip service rather than a faith-filled request to God. This can be resolved by customizing the prayer to the blessings and needs for that day.
- Dear Jesus, thank You for the food that is before us. We ask that you’d bless it to our bodies and bless our evening as we’re together. Please be with Aunt Beatrice as she prepares for tomorrow’s surgery and give her peace and comfort. Thank You too for being with Susie during her game and keeping her safe. Amen.
The food itself– If you don’t think you have reasons to pray over your food, I can give you some. I don’t believe we should sit down in fear before we eat, but here are some things to consider if you feel taking the time to pray is not significant. Regardless whether you prepared the food yourself or not:
- Are you sure the food preparation area was clean?
- Were the veggies pre-washed?
- Was the food cooked at the correct temperature for the right amount of time?
- Did the chef wash their hands prior to preparing the meal?
- Do you know what hormones were used to produce your food?
- Do you have food allergies?
- Are you certain the chef didn’t cough or sneeze into your food?
- How many calories or how much fat really is in your meal?
When our family goes out to eat at a restaurant, we often pray right after the waiter takes our order; before our food is prepared.
Our abundance– Some might take for granted the fact they have food at their table. Unfortunately, not every family gets to sit down to three meals a day; not every family has a choice of what to eat either. When my husband and I were just married our choices consisted mainly of spaghetti, Top Ramen, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Before you sit down to your meal and feast, how about taking a moment to be thankful for the fact you have food in front of you?
Please visit these other blogs on prayer:
Take Time to Pray: Thanksgiving