Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty.
-Psalm 104:1 (NRSV)
IT was the first day of our vacation in a popular resort. My oldest daughter and I were excited about being there and were looking forward to the adventures we had planned. We began by thanking God for our safe arrival and the breakfast on the table before us in the hotel restaurant. "How wonderful," the waitress exclaimed after our prayer. "This is the first time I have seen anyone in this restaurant praise God for their food before eating!" She left smiling.
Often in a quiet restaurant my daughter and I pray silently so that we don't draw attention to ourselves. That morning was special, though, and it had seemed appropriate to speak aloud our words of thanks.
In 1 Samuel 9, this was a sacrificial meal, not an ordinary lunch -- and not all ate. Today when so much of our food comes from stores and restaurants, we tend to forget where it comes from and the effort required to provide it. Saying a prayer before eating is an expression of gratitude to God. And our speaking the words can be a witness to others.
Father, thank you for the food and drink that strengthen our bodies and enable us to carry out the work you give us to do. Thank you also for those whose work makes food available to us. We are truly grateful. Amen.
Sometimes speaking the words of a prayer can be really hard in public. I'm comfortable praying in the "safety" of my room, vehicle, or even outdoors at certain times, but I've noticed I rarely speak aloud prayers before a meal, especially in front of company or in a restaurant - usually I just say a few quick whispers.
But then I know that God takes a tremendous amount of joy when he sees any of His children talking securely (but not necessarily privately) with him. Maybe some of us just aren't quite as secure in our faith as others, but that just means that there is always room for us to grow.
