"Bless This Food"

I grew up with the habit of thanking God for the food at every meal. Our family holds hands around the table. It gives a sense of oneness. (and also keeps little fingers from grabbing things)

My father tells how a simple blessing poem brought his family to Christ. His older brother learned it at school (Imagine that!) and taught it to the family at home.

God is great and God is good,

And we thank Him for our food;

By His hand must all be fed,

Give us, Lord, our daily bread. 

My grandparents thought about this great God of goodness and sought Him. God blessed the family and used many of the following generations in His service around the world.

Why do we say Grace at mealtime? 

I admit that it can become just a habit - rattling off words without thinking. But where did it begin? Why is it important? Is it a good habit to teach our children?

Last Sunday, our pastor spoke from Leviticus 17. God instructed the Israelites to bring every animal that had been killed for meat to the tabernacle, to be offered first as a sacrifice to the LORD. Having to do this often, put God first in their lives. He was to be the center of everything they did.

We are not under the law anymore. We are not required to fulfil a list of rules to gain acceptance to God. But He still wants us to put Him first in our lives. Everything we think or do should bring glory to Him. We should constantly remember that all we have is from Him. Everything we do is arranged by Him.

A dear woman in our church wrote this poem -

First in all of my doings,

First in all I say,

First in all my pursuings,

First in my heart every day.