Examples of grace for dinners

Mealtime prayers are essential conversations with God. Paul tells us to: “Celebrate always, pray constantly, and give thanks to God no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Poverty and starvation are an everyday reality for some, while others of us quench their thirst and put hunger at bay at our leisure. No matter which side of the pendulum we find ourselves on, praying God’s will over our lives and our meals is important. “… for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18b NLT)

Praying God’s blessing over our meals is a simple way to make a big difference on the daily alignment of our hearts. Use dinner time and all other times of eating to recall God’s goodness in your life. It helps us remember that our blessings come from our Creator… who deserves credit for all.

Here are 10 prayers that will fit any mealtime situation, from formal family dinners, to meals on the go at the neighborhood drive-thru:

1. A Prayer That This Food May Fuel Us to Do Your Work

Father, Praise You for the nourishment the You provide. Thank You for meeting our physical needs of hunger and thirst. Forgive us for taking that simple joy for granted, and bless this food to fuel our bodies forward into Your will for our lives. We pray that we will be energized and be able to work for the glory of Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

2. A Prayer in Remembrance of the Hungry

Father, You are mighty and strong to sustain our bodies. Thank You for the meal we are about to enjoy. Forgive us for forgetting how many pray for food to relieve their starvation. Bless and relieve the starvation of those who hunger, Lord, and inspire our hearts to seek out ways that we can help from our abundance. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

3. A Prayer of Confession

Father, This meal is the work of Your hands. You have provided for me, again, and I am grateful. I confess my tendency to forget to ask Your blessing upon my life, through the comforts that You have given me to enjoy. So many people lack these daily comforts and it is selfish of me to forget about them in their need. Show me how to make the most of Your blessing in my life, for everything I have is a gift from You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

4. A Prayer for Family Mealtime

Father, We have gathered to share a meal in Your honor. Thank You for putting us together as family, and thank You for this food. Bless it to our bodies, Lord. We thank you for all of the gifts you’ve given to those around this table. Help each member of our family use these gifts to your glory. Guide our mealtime conversations and steer our hearts to Your purpose for our lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

5. A Prayer for Mealtime Fellowship

Father, Praise You for friendship and family! Thank You for bringing us together today to share a meal. The people in our lives bring us such joy, and we are grateful for time spent in fellowship together. Help us use this time to bond closer as a group, and learn to love each other more. Bless our appetites, both physical and spiritual, to honor You in all we do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

6. A Prayer for When Someone is Missed at the Table

Father, We are coping with an empty seat at our table. Be with the one we are without, today, and help us to trust in Your timing, purpose, and great love for us all. As we miss ____________ today, we pray Your blessing over him/her/them, and us, and the space in between now and when we see them next. Until then, may this food bless our bodies, and give us strength to endure the day ahead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

7. A Prayer for Dining Out

Father, Bless this establishment and employees as they prepare and serve our food. Thank You for the opportunity to have our meal brought to us, and the ability to relax and enjoy this time with one another. We understand our privilege to be here, and we pray to be a blessing to those we encounter in this place. Bless our conversation, and may we honor You in all we do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

8. A Prayer in Remembrance of the Last Supper

Father, As we sit here today preparing to eat this food, we remember Your Son. How He came here as a human being, and ate with His family and friends just like we do. Thank You for the gift of Jesus, and that we can look to Him knowing He understands our hunger. Bless us, Lord Jesus, and stir our hearts to remember You in all we do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

9. A Prayer for When Food is Scarce

Father, We come to You hungry, today. It’s hard to understand why we don’t have enough to eat, but we come to You for strength, knowing that You are our provider. Help us to trust that You will sustain us through times of abundance and times of scarcity. Bless us and help us get back up on our feet again. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

10. A Prayer for the Drive-Thru

Father, Thank You for the drive-thru, that saves our time on busy days. We pray for those who prepared our food, and we ask that we would be a blessing to them during our brief encounter today. We remember that they are your children, and that they should be treated with kindness and respect, so that they will be able to see You in our actions. Bless this food to our bodies and keep us safe on the road today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can’t find the words to pray.

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I have created an example of what your ‘Grace’ may sound like for your own dinner for God.  Please know that this is only a suggestion, and you may re-word it any way you choose or even make up your own!

Your ‘Grace’ may ask the entire table to say a few sentences about why they are there and what they hope to receive for the evening.  You also have the wonderful freedom of choosing how you will say your ‘Grace’.  You may stand and hold hands with your head down.  You may sit and hold hands with your head up.  You may ask your guests to look one another in the face while ‘Grace’ is being said.  It’s all up to you.

Don’t be afraid to make this particular ‘Grace’ unique for yourself and for your guests.  Remember, it is all meant to be JOYFUL!!!!

Dear God, (Universe, High Source, etc.)

We are gathered here tonight with You to celebrate and honor the good-ness that You are and the good-ness that We are.

The most delicious food has been prepared for You with the highest integrity.  We have dressed in a manner that presents our Highest Selves to You.

We ask that tonight’s sharing with You stay within the deepest part of our Hearts without judgment, and to actively make a conscious choice to rejoice in our differences and views of You.

We are One and the Same.

Bless.

dinnerforgod.com

• He moved with the grace of a trained boxer.
• The new King seemed to be carrying out his duties with grace and due decorum.
• He has shown remarkable grace during this crisis.
• Let us give thanks for God’s grace.
• She didn’t fit in and she had few social graces.
• She wanted a couple of days’ grace to get the maisonette cleaned before she moved in.
• She is quite lovable despite her lack of social graces.
• She walked across the stage with effortless grace.
• He went to the beautiful old Welsh dresser that graced this homely room.
• He had been invited to grace a function at the evening college.
• She handles her problems with grace and dignity.
• She tried to live her life in God’s grace.
• It was only by the grace of God that no one died.
• Leo, will you say grace?
• By the grace of God, no one was seriously hurt.
• Your Grace, I have a great favour to ask of you.
• Flowers graced the room
• To grace a party with one’s presence
• Many fine paintings graced the rooms of the house.
• To grace an occasion with one’s presence.
• But for the grace of God, the brick that just fell from the roof would have hit me on the head!
• By the grace of God, I won’t have to deal with tax returns for another year.
• He fell from grace when the boss found out he had lied.
• Would you have the grace to help, please?
• It is a wonder that I have managed to stay in her good graces this long.
• He apologized, but did so with bad grace.
• She took on the extra work with good grace.
• The dancer moved with grace and strength.
• The Princess brought grace to an otherwise dull and boring party.
• I’m so grateful to God for the grace that He has given me.
• It has become less common to say grace before having dinner. For examples of the use of this sense see: citations.
• The repayment of the loan starts after a three-year grace (period).
• He graced the room with his presence. He graced the room by simply being there. His portrait graced a landing on the stairway.

wordpanda.net

Let us take a moment to think about where the food we are about to enjoy has come from and to acknowledge those who worked to bring us this food. Let us appreciate the earth, the sun, the air, and the water needed to nourish the plants and animals. Let us thank the farmer who cared for the plants and animals and the migrant worker who toiled to harvest the crops. Let us thank the laborer who processed the food, the truck driver who brought the food, and the grocery store workers who displayed it. Finally, let us thank our friends who prepared this meal and have provided us with the opportunity to be together and share each other’s company.

It’s perfect, really, thanking nature and the people who made the meal possible. Only someone so narrow-mindedly religious could find that offensive since a god wasn’t included in the list.

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