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“Why Say Grace before a Meal?”

Thoughts for Today:

In the New Testament, the word "thanks" is directly related to the word "grace." It is because thankfulness is both a result of and a response to God's grace. We also know that giving thanks is God's will:

Philippians 4:6: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Colossians 3:17: "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

1 Thessalonians 5:18: "...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Giving thanks is often overlooked. However, throughout the Bible it was the precursor to the miraculous. Jonah offered grateful praise to the Lord and he was released from the belly of the giant fish (Jonah 2:9-10). Jesus multiplied five loaves of bread and two fish into enough food to feed five thousand people; not by prayer, but by simply thanking God (John 6:5-11). And at Lazarus's tomb it was the giving of thanks that released God's power to awaken a dead body (John 11:41-44).

In 1 Timothy 4:4-5, Paul said: "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the Word of God and prayer." Paul is saying that thanksgiving combined with the Word of God and prayer consecrates our food. This is the basis for our Christian practice of "saying grace" or "giving thanks" before our meals.

Questions to Ponder:

Does your family say grace before each meal? If so, well done! If not, perhaps it is time to resume the practice.

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About the author

Pocket Devotions are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.