Mealtime prayers for families

Blessed be the Earth for giving birth to this food
Blessed be the Sun for nourishing it
Blessed be the Wind for carrying its seed
Blessed be the Rain for quenching its thirst.
Blessed be the hands that helped to grow this food,
To bring it to our tables
To nourish our minds, bodies, and spirits.
Blessed be our friends, our families, and our loved ones.
Blessed Be.

—–

This food comes from the earth and the sky
It is the gift of the entire universe
And the fruit of much hard work
I vow to live a life that is worthy to receive it

(traditional Buddhist mealtime prayer)

—–

Lady and Lord,
Thank you for this food which we’re going to eat
Thank you for the earth in which it grew,
the rain that watered it,
the wind which gave it breath
and the sun which gave it life
Thank you for the life which was given so we can eat
Blessed be.

—–

Lord and Lady, watch over us,
and bless us as we eat.
Bless this food, this bounty of earth,
we thank you, so mote it be.

—–

Earth who gives to us our food,
Sun who makes it ripe and good,
Dearest earth and dearest sun,
Joy and Love for all you’ve done

—–

Give thanks to the Mother Earth.
Give thanks to the Father Sun.
Give thanks to the plants in the garden,
Where the Mother and Father are One.

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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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When I was younger there were two common mealtime prayers that were said depending on where we were eating:

• At home: Thank You Jesus for this food. Amen.

• At Grandma and Grandpa’s: Come Lord Jesus be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen.

Regardless how you choose to say grace or ask for blessing over your food, here are some things you might want to think about.

Mundane prayers– When using the same prayer every time you sit down to eat, you might start to notice your prayer becomes more lip service rather than a faith-filled request to God. This can be resolved by customizing the prayer to the blessings and needs for that day.

• Dear Jesus, thank You for the food that is before us. We ask that you’d bless it to our bodies and bless our evening as we’re together. Please be with Aunt Beatrice as she prepares for tomorrow’s surgery and give her peace and comfort. Thank You too for being with Susie during her game and keeping her safe. Amen.

The food itself– If you don’t think you have reasons to pray over your food, I can give you some. I don’t believe we should sit down in fear before we eat, but here are some things to consider if you feel taking the time to pray is not significant. Regardless whether you prepared the food yourself or not:

• Are you sure the food preparation area was clean?

• Were the veggies pre-washed?

• Was the food cooked at the correct temperature for the right amount of time?

• Did the chef wash their hands prior to preparing the meal?

• Do you know what hormones were used to produce your food?

• Do you have food allergies?

• Are you certain the chef didn’t cough or sneeze into your food?

• How many calories or how much fat really is in your meal?

When our family goes out to eat at a restaurant, we often pray right after the waiter takes our order; before our food is prepared.

Our abundance– Some might take for granted the fact they have food at their table. Unfortunately, not every family gets to sit down to three meals a day; not every family has a choice of what to eat either. When my husband and I were just married our choices consisted mainly of spaghetti, Top Ramen, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Before you sit down to your meal and feast, how about taking a moment to be thankful for the fact you have food in front of you?

Please visit these other blogs on prayer:

Communicating With God

Take Time to Pray: Thanksgiving

Take Time to Pray

Praying for Wayward Children

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