Meal Time Prayers
Posted by GodsLove4U on 2009-10-31 11:35:47am
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It is a scene from the past. The family gathers around their dinner table, beautifully adorned with a freshly pressed table cloth, candlelight, warmed plates, and laden with a bountiful harvest. The family members bow their heads and one of them offers this, or another traditional prayer: Bless us, Oh Lord, and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen. The plates of food are then passed and the family eats with grateful hearts. This isn’t a scene from Thanksgiving Day. This used to be meal-time every day.
In today’s fast-paced world, and with complicated schedules, such meals are far less common. And even less common is the offering of a meal-time prayer, or table graceof giving thanks. It’s unfortunate, because it’s all too easy to forget where all these good gifts of life come from, God’s loving provision.
Think what a difference it could make in our lives, if we could at least pause for a moment, catch our collective breath, and recognize, even for a moment, that God is present with us here and now, and that God is the giver of all good gifts. How good life is. How blessed we are.
You can offer a simple prayer of thanks directly from your heart. Or you can use a variety of prayers people have used throughout the years, prayers for all ages. Here are a few you might want to try:
Lord, make us truly thankful for
these and all other blessings.
I ask this in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.
God is great, God is good.
Let us thank God for our food.
By God’s hands we all are fed.
Thank you, Lord, for daily bread. Amen.
For health and strength and daily food,
We praise your name, O Lord. Amen.
Thank you for the world so sweet,
Thank you for the food we eat,
Thank you for the birds that sing,
Thank you God for everything. Amen.
The Johnny Appleseed Grace
(from the Disney movie, Johnny Appleseed)
Oh, the Lord’s been good to me.
And so I thank the Lord.
For giving me the things I need:
The sun, the rain and the appleseed.
Oh, the Lord’s been good to me. Amen.
It’s amazing how such simple recognition of God changes everything if meal time prayers are prayed from the heart. You realize in that moment that life is good, you are blessed, you do have so much to be thankful for. It can change your whole perspective. A grateful heart is a joyful heart. We could all use a little more joy, couldn’t we? It begins by saying thanks.
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- Meal Time Prayers - GodsLove4U - 2009-10-31 11:35:47am