Prayers before meals may be some of the oldest regular prayers in our religious heritage. We can trace such prayers back to the ancient Israelites. If there was meat, often it had been prayed over by priests during a ritual sacrifice; if there was produce, the head of the family gave thanks for God's bounty from the fields.
It is a good habit to pray before eating. It allows us an opportunity to give thanks for our daily bread and reminds us, again, of the other blessings in our lives. It reminds us that it is not just our work, or that of someone in our family, that provides us with food. In our land of overflowing supermarket shelves, we sometimes forget that hunger is a very real danger for many people, as it was for our ancestors.
More than this, though, we usually teach our children about prayer by praying before meals. They hear the pastor pray in church, and they may pray before bed, but they see their family pray together before meals, and this makes a strong impression. By praying together, we teach them, and remind ourselves, that God is an important part of our lives.
Today's Prayer Prompt: Before you eat today, pray.
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