Why Pray At Meal Times?
Ξ May 15th, 2008 | → 1 Comments | ∇ Christian Living, Growing In The Lord |
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
When I was a kid, I wondered why anyone would pray at meal times. Even as an adult that question came up every so often. So, why do people pray at meal times? If it’s important, why not pray at a meal when out to eat? I wondered about this for so long. But God taught me the answers to these questions and it is so simple. But then, God is trying to teach us the simple things not because we are so stupid that it takes that but because the things of God are simple. They just seem complicated because we tend to make things complicated. We are human, after all.
There are a couple of reasons to pray over one’s food. The first thing I learned about that was that we need to be thankful that we have it in the first place. We need to be thankful that God provided it. Now, for many years I did not see it that way. I saw that one person or another worked for the money to pay for the food therefore God didn’t provide it, someone else did.
God is in control. Period. It may not always look like it but He is. He provides food and shelter and all sorts of things in His time, not necessarily the way we want but He does provide what we need. So, when the food is on the table, regardless of how it got there, God provides. We believe that it is important to acknowledge that fact in prayer. We, therefore, thank God for His provision.
Another reason for praying over one’s food, especially out to eat food in restaurants, is that you have no idea where it’s been. I know that sounds funny but the truth is that we do not know what is in the food nor do we know the circumstances that came about when the food was being prepared. Literally, the disciples prayed so that they would not be ill from the food they ate. So, we are to pray to thank God for the food AND we are to pray for our own well being where the food is concerned as well.
At those times, we must give God the thanks but it also gives God control of the situations too. That is so important. God is a gentleman. He will not intrude where He is not asked. If you think you can handle the problem yourself, God will step back and let you do it. But, ultimately, God is always in control!! I take great comfort in that fact. And I am certainly going to give Him all the praise for the food I eat and the fact that we have it at all. I hand God the controls of my life with those prayers as well. And after what He did for me, He can have it!!! Thank you, Lord!!!
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
You can also
