8.3 | Before Eating

Thou, O Lord, givest food to all flesh, for thy mercy endures for ever. Psalm 136:25(KJV) The eyes of all things wait on thee; Psalm 145:15(KJV) but especially thou givest meat to them that fear thee, being ever mindful of thy covenant. Psalm 111:5(KJV)

Thou art our life and the length of our days, Deuteronomy 30:20(KJV) the God that hath fed us all our life long unto this day: Genesis 48:15(KJV) Thou givest us all things richly to enjoy, 1 Timothy 6:17(KJV) though we serve thee but poorly. Thou hast not only given us every green herb and the fruit of the trees to be to us for meat, Genesis 1:29(KJV) but every moving thing that liveth, even as the green herb. Genesis 9:3(KJV)

And blessed be God that now under the gospel we are taught to call nothing common or unclean; Acts 10:15(KJV) and that it is not that which goes into the man, that defiles the man, Matthew 15:11(KJV) but that every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused; for God hath created it to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 1 Timothy 4:3-4(KJV)

We acknowledge we are not worthy of the least crumb that falls from the table of thy providence: Matthew 15:27(KJV) Thou mightest justly take away from us the stay of bread and the stay of water, Isaiah 3:1(KJV) and make us to eat our bread by weight and to drink our water by measure, and with astonishment; Ezekiel 4:16(KJV) because when we have been fed to the full, Proverbs 30:9(KJV) we have forgotten God our Maker. Hosea 8:14(KJV) But let our sins be pardoned, we pray thee, that our table may not become a snare before us, nor that be made a trap, which should have been for our welfare. Psalm 69:22(KJV)

We know that every thing is sanctified by the word of God and prayer; 1 Timothy 4:4-5(KJV) and that man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God; Matthew 4:4(KJV) and therefore, according to our Master’s example, we look up to heaven and pray for a blessing upon our food, Matthew 14:19(KJV) Abundantly bless our provision. Psalm 132:15(KJV)

Lord, grant that we may not feed ourselves without fear, Jude 1:12(KJV) that we may not make a god of our belly, Philippians 3:19(KJV) that our hearts may never be overcharged with surfeiting or drunkenness, Luke 21:34(KJV) but that whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we may do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31(KJV)