Why do people pray before meals?

what does the bible say?

Perhaps the strongest argument for why we pray before meals is because throughout Jesus’ ministry, He prayed before eating (Matthew 14:19–21; 15:36; 26:26; Luke 24:30). In fact, Jesus is the Bread of Life (John 6:57–58), without whom we would never have eternal life. Additionally, during Paul’s near-death journey in Acts 27, he gave thanks to God before eating bread, even though everyone with him had been starving for some time. Moreover, 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 indicates that we should “give thanks in all circumstances,” which would, of course, include giving thanks before eating. No matter how famished we are, we should take the time to give thanks to God for providing for our needs, including our “daily bread” (Matthew 6:9–13).

from the old testament

• The Psalms are filled with passages acknowledging God as the Provider of our food (Psalm 104:14–15; 111:5; 136:25). For example, David recognized that God provides the food that sustains us: “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season” (Psalm 145:15). We should never take God’s gifts for granted, including our food.

from the new testament

• In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to ask the Father for daily bread (Matthew 6:9–13). As He answers, we ought to thank Him.
• We see examples of prayer before eating in the Bible. When Jesus fed thousands of people on two occasions (Matthew 14:19–21; 15:36), He first gave thanks.
• During His Last Supper with His disciples, Jesus blessed the food before eating (Matthew 26:26).
• When on the road to Emmaus, Jesus met two men and had a meal with them. But first, He gave thanks (Luke 24:30). We follow Jesus’ example when we pause to acknowledge God’s provision before we dig in.
• Praying before eating reminds us that ultimately, Jesus is our Bread of Life (John 6:57–58).
• When Paul was sailing on a ship that suffered a two-week long storm, it forced the 276 people onboard to forgo eating. Eventually, when the time came to eat again, Paul gave thanks before breaking the unplanned fast (Acts 27).
• In Paul’s letter to believers in Thessalonica, he tells them to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Praying before our meals is one way to do this; it is also a consistent reminder of our ultimate reliance on God.

implications for today

Saying “grace,” or praying with thanksgiving, before eating a meal is a long-held Christian tradition. Praying before partaking gives God glory by identifying Him as the Giver of the food. God is the ultimate Provider of all our necessities to life, and as He gives us what we need, we should acknowledge Him (Ephesians 5:20; Romans 11:36; Colossians 1:16–17). While it may seem like our food is a result of our own hard labors, and we have no one but ourselves to thank for it, it was God who made the land, who created the seeds that turn to plants and produce fruit, who provides the sun and water, and who gives people the energy and knowledge to turn the raw materials into meals. God’s provision is behind every bite we take, so we should thank Him for the blessing of food.

Recap

understand

• We should thank God before meals because He is the Provider of everything we have, including our food.
• Jesus modeled praying before meals.
• Giving thanks before meals reminds us to be thankful for Jesus, the Bread of Life.

reflect

• Why do you find it important to pray before meals as part of your everyday spiritual practice?
• How has praying before meals helped you in your walk with God?
• How do you keep your pre-meal prayers from becoming rote?

engage

• How might pre-meal prayers be an opportunity to share with others the truth about the Bread of Life?
• What are some pros and cons of Christian parents teaching their children to pray rehearsed prayers before eating (“God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food…“), as opposed to praying unrehearsed?
• How can we model praying before meals in public in a meaningful way?