Have you ever wondered why Christians pray before they eat?

Everyone is seated. The food is sitting there in front of you, the heat rising and the smell wafting. Your mouth is beginning to water, and someone says, “Who wants to pray?”

I’ve never been given a good explanation—at least not one I remember—for why we pray before we eat. Some might say it’s because we should recognize God as our provider. But then why don’t we pray on payday before the paycheck hits?

The last thing most people want to do before they eat is pray. Everyone  is hungry—some are hangry. But I don’t know of anyone who says they feel spiritual. They just want to eat. And if there is any praying going on, it’s along the lines of, “Lord, don’t let them ask me to pray.” 

Because everyone is hungry and no one wants to pray, prayers before meals are usually religious, rote, and routine—unless, that is, you call on the wrong person. You know who I’m talking about. This is the guy who prays something closer to War and Peace than a blessing. Then everyone else is praying, “Lord, stop him so we can eat!”

I think there is a better way, and that is to pray after you eat. It is actually biblical:

When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.  — Deuteronomy 8:10

Praying after you eat makes more sense than praying beforehand. Let’s face it—you don’t know if what you are getting ready to eat is going to be any good. It might even make you sick.  

If you wait until after you’ve eaten, you know exactly what to thank God for — “Lord, thank You for you for the green beans. They were the best I’ve ever had.” The cook can even take a little pride in a prayer like that.

And the prayer will be genuine. No more rote prayers. No more “Lord, may this food nourish our bodies.” Do we think it’s not going to nourish our bodies? We are not eating plates of Twinkies or Ho Hos. We can dispense with all that if we pray after we eat.

Anyway, just some food for thought—but pray about it after you eat. GS