Daily Bread

As far back as I can remember into my childhood, table blessings preceded our meals.  We washed our hands, sat down together as a family, and a word of thanksgiving for the food was offered.  And while the blessing I learned and offered was a simple one, a part of growing up was taking part in this meal time ritual.  I am grateful for the memory, for the parents who put it in place, and for the way it taught me early on to be thankful for the food prepared and placed on the table.

 

The food placed on the table is seen differently after a life time of eating.  More than ever I am aware that the food is not just placed on the table by a mother, but by a host of other unseen people.  And, more than ever I am aware it speaks about the provisional care of God.  Perhaps, the learning started back in the day when I started praying the prayer Jesus taught us to pray.  A part of the prayer has us praying, Give us this day, our daily bread."  (Matthew 6:11)  Here is a Word that takes us back to the source of the food which graces our table each day. 

 

The Creator God is the One who has put in place this incredible earth which gives life to us through an endless food supply.  The longer we live and eat, the more careless we become.  We become picky in our eating declaring we cannot eat broccoli, or some other God created food we deem to be disgusting.  We put more on our plate than we need or can eat and then rake what we do not want in the hungry mouth of the trash can.  A truly thankful heart remembers the source of the food, the fact that a thousand hands have worked to get it to us, and that every single mouthful is a blessing of life from the God who provides for us.