Why do we ask God to bless our food?

[Daydream Island]

Hello !
Some Christians thank God for their meal before eating it, some may ask God to bless it.. Why? Is it in case there are diseases in it?


Thank you !

 

[Neogaia777]

Well, right now I live at a local mission, living in my own room above it though that they rent out...

One guy I talk to here won't eat the food, cause he thinks it's not sanitary, and I told him, "Well, I say thanks over my food and if there is anything wrong with it, God cleanses it..." and I have faith in it/that... He laughed, but I was serious...

Also, just to give thanks for the provider of everything, including our food for the nurishment of our bodies, just because it's right...

God Bless!

 

[FireDragon76]

It's about expressing gratitude.

 

[Neogaia777]

It's about expressing gratitude.

Can it make food clean though, if you believe and have faith that it can...?

God Bless!

 

[Daydream Island]

Can it make food clean though, if you believe and have faith that it can...?

God Bless!

OOh now I understand, it's about preventing food poisoning or simply like you said, clean it of anything that would make us sick from consuming it

 

[Your Brother In Christ]

No, the original reason was to thank God for the food He has Given.

 

[Kit Sigmon]

Hello !
Some Christians thank God for their meal before eating it, some may ask God to bless it.. Why? Is it in case there are diseases in it?


Thank you !

Jesus did this to show honor to His heavenly Father, and we should do the same...also, it be in keeping with what is said here- Ephesians 5:20.

 

[Neogaia777]

OOh now I understand, it's about preventing food poisoning or simply like you said, clean it of anything that would make us sick from consuming it

Only in part, the most important reason is thankfulness, which you have to have first, then, secondarily to Bless it, or clean it to be a blessing to your body and not a curse of sickness from it, first and foremost is thankfulness though...

God Bless!

 

[Daydream Island]

Jesus did this to show honor to His heavenly Father, and we should do the same...also, it be in keeping with what is said here- Ephesians 5:20.

Thank you for the verse but, I'm only asking why we bless the food not why we give thanks.

 

[Neogaia777]

I'm only asking why we bless the food not why we give thanks

In that case then, for it to be a blessing to us then, and not a curse... To be good for us and our bodies and not bad, but you have to have the faith in God to do that, and know that he will and does do that, when you pray and ask him to bless it...

God Bless!

 

[LoricaLady]

Unless it says something different in Hebrew, we are not actually ever told to bless our food. We are told to give thanks for the meal after we stand up, having finished it. Now our Savior did bless the loaves and fishes before He multiplied them, but this is not commanded for us to do. Not a bad idea, but not commanded.

Why do we give thanks for our food? Because the Almighty said to do it! He says that in so doing we will be kept from diseases and other awful things. 2nd reason. But the main reason is to show gratitude, as He commands.

 

[FireDragon76]

Can it make food clean though, if you believe and have faith that it can...?

That sounds more like magical thinking. Having said that, I'm not one to limit what God can do. If I had no sanitary food to eat you bet I'd be praying about it but... that's not what Christians mean by blessing food. We bless food as part of sanctification or holiness, so that it is made sacred for the use that God has given it to us for.

 

[sunshineforJesus]

to show our gratitude and to thank God for his blessings.

 

[Neogaia777]

That sounds more like magical thinking. Having said that, I'm not one to limit what God can do. If I had no sanitary food to eat you bet I'd be praying about it but... that's not what Christians mean by blessing food. We bless food as part of sanctification or holiness, so that it is made sacred for the use that God has given it to us for.

"We bless food as part of sanctification or holiness, so that it is made sacred for the use that God has given it to us for."

First off, (and this is also in reply to LoricaLady), "we" "do not" "bless" our food, "we" are "asking God" to to do that (We are asking and trusting in God to bless or cleanse the food and make it good)...

"As part of sanctification or holiness (of our food) (to sanctify or make it holy is to also make it good for us and clean), so that it is made sacred (or good, holy and clean), for the use that God has given it to us for." (the use of being good and clean for our bodies, good)...

Unless your going to tell me that along with thankfulness that it wrong to ask God to make our food good for us, and clean to us...

What about when Peter was commanded to eat foods that he previously considered "unclean" or unholy, and doesn't it say, essentially, not to call bad what God has made good (for you and your body) (told to him about yes, foods, previously considered bad, and rejected, but also, a people as well, mainly, the Gentiles)... Cause if he still would have called it bad, and not listened to God about it or believed him, it might have turned out to be bad for him... (maybe, possibly)... It took some faith to change that outlook on those foods...

God Bless!

 

[faroukfarouk]

Thank you for the verse but, I'm only asking why we bless the food not why we give thanks.

Thanksgiving and blessing are really a very similar idea. Remember also that they are translated English words.

 

[Dr Bruce Atkinson]

Hello !
Some Christians thank God for their meal before eating it, some may ask God to bless it.. Why? Is it in case there are diseases in it?


Thank you !

It certainly does no harm to ask God to bless our food. But "grace" before meals is mostly about thanking God for the food.

 

[FireDragon76]

What about when Peter was commanded to eat foods that he previously considered "unclean" or unholy, and doesn't it say, essentially, not to call bad what God has made good

That story is actually not about food at all, but the fear of contamination by gentiles.

Asking God to bless food is certainly not about calling bad what God has made good.

The Jewish practice before a meal is to bless God, not the food, and in doing so, to remember that he made the food.

 

[Goodbook]

Hello !
Some Christians thank God for their meal before eating it, some may ask God to bless it.. Why? Is it in case there are diseases in it?


Thank you !

I havent heard of people blessing the food but if you eating in a restaurant and someone else has prepared it, often pray for the hands that made it. Even if they are not christians that they be blessed.

Sometimes if eating somewhere dubious like mcdonalds you do have to pray before you eat it! I mean sometimes because of other people you have no choice in where to go to have a meal. We are to give thanks anyway. Sometimes all people can afford is mcdonalds.