Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.
Christians frequently pray before meals, giving thanks to God for the food we are about to eat. Pre-meal prayers can be a simple "thank-you" to God for the meal or lengthier prayers of thanksgiving...
Login or Sign Up to view the rest of this answer.
My response is not so deep as many I find here, which I find to be wonderfully explained and most importantly Biblical. I find that before eating I am reminded by His Spirit that I need to pray not only for my food to be blessed but I need to talk to God and at every opportunity to reinforce my need for Him in every part of my life. It serves as a reminder, not out of ritual, but as an act of continuing obedience to His Word to be constantly in prayer. It helps to build my faith and as I strive to eat regularly I also am reminded to pray regularly. Praise the Lord that He cares about me and seeks my fellowship.
Thank you John---How precious your comment. "With my wife's cooking--we pray after the meals. I don't brush my teeth afterwards, I count them!" (Dangerfield) An unthankful child is a child who is disconnected with the fathers heart. (II Timothy 3:1-2) An attitude of gratitude is one of many symptomatic musts for all of God's children. We pray because it is like a knee jerk reaction to the Grace and love he places within our hearts. He treats us better than we deserve.(Titus 3:7) We pray because we know that the source of our blessings is not ourselves. (Psalm 23) We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. We pray because the body is a temple and food is its source of health. "You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God." (I Corinthians 5:19-20 We Pray because doing so reminds us that "God's Kingdom isn't about eating and drinking. It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness." (Romans 14:17) Finally, anything Jesus did is a supreme example for us. (Matthew 26:26-27) "Always use the name of our Lord Jesus to thank God the Father for everything." (Ephesians 5:20) True blessings to you
A prayer before eating serves several purposes: A prayer reminds us that food is not a sure thing, as God's people wandering in the desert found out. It also serves to let God know that we recognize that we are receiving a portion of his bounty as a result of his mercy and not that we deserve any part of his bounty. It makes us think about the reality that everything has been made, not manufactured, is made by The father and was made for us from the beginning. By this we can remain confident, and rest assured that God's love is unconditional and always with us.
I truly enjoyed the previous responses, and when you employ God's word to substantiate your thought, that's in imitation of Jesus. Giving thanks before a meal is for me, my expression of thankfulness, and gratitude, because some people unfortunately lack sustenance. More than that it is in imitation of our Lord and Savior Jesus, whom we are to imitate to the best of our imperfect ability! For this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (1Peter2:21) For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. (John 13:15) Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. (Ephesians 5:1)
All answers are REVIEWED and MODERATED.
Please ensure your answer MEETS all our guidelines.
A good answer provides new insight and perspective. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone.