Day 9 of the Great 50 Days: Give Thanks for Food, Family and Friendships

Tuesday

Adapted from 2. Dearest Jesus, After receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, the disciples followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Amen.

The Book of Acts has always intrigued me. It seems to me that the apostles were always eating—and I love a good meal. As I was reading this text this morning I thought about how eating together has changed over the years. Recently, when we stopped at a food court to eat, I saw a family gathered around a table. Everyone was looking at his or her own phone. When I scanned the room—sure enough few people were looking at each other.

The two actions I think we need to restore in today’s culture are times to worship and praise God, and authentic fellowship. The first simple way to begin would be to practice saying grace before meals. Nothing flamboyant, just a reminder that God is good and we need to thank God. There is even a health benefit from saying grace, as it prepares our bodies to receive the food we will eat. The second act is paying close attention to the people with whom we are eating. Little adjustments can bring substantial benefits. What if every meal was a celebration, exuberant and joyful, praising God?

1. Can we reclaim ancient and wise traditions in a new way?

Prayer Recap: Dear Jesus, We thank you for all that we have. Help us to honor and praise You before our meals, and to celebrate the gifts of food, family and friendship. Amen.