Thanksgiving at Meals

1913 235 Why do so many Christians, on sitting down to meals, begin by praying? The appropriate thing on accepting a gift is to give thanks. The Christian recognises God as the giver of his food, and therefore should render thanks to Him. This indeed is consonant with scripture: "meats" are "created to be received with thanksgiving of them who believe and know the truth" (1 Tim. 4:3).

The man of the world regards his food as the product of a machine, or institution, which he calls Nature; but the Christian goes behind this, and recognises the Creator of the entire system of nature. Further, he not only believes that there is such a Creator, but he knows Him; is actually in communion with Him "by the word of God and prayer" (1 Tim. 4:5). Mr. Darby's translation of this phrase is, "by God's word and freely addressing [Him]," and his note on this rendering is illuminative of the whole subject. He says, "This I believe to be the sense here: enteuxis means intercourse with a person, then petitions and intercession; one person speaking personally to another. … I believe the creature, fallen through Adam, belongs to the faithful, and those who know the truth, by God's speaking to us, and our freely speaking to Him. This has set all on a new footing, because we have met God again, the word of God having put us into communication by grace. And the faithful and those who know the truth, have availed themselves of it, and come and enter into intercourse. It is no longer by nature, but by the word of God."

Scripture says that "every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." The current idea is that each meal needs to be prayed about, before it can properly be partaken of. But the contrary is the truth: it is sanctified by the fact of the new position in which the Christian stands. "All things are yours … the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours" (1 Cor. 3:22). The action on our part which scripture enjoins is not prayer but thanksgiving. "If it be received with thanksgiving" (1 Tim. 4:4). It is "created to be received with thanksgiving" (1 Tim. 4:3). Thus the Christian's meal-table becomes an altar of praise; the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. How different from the dead formula which some of us have had to listen to with pain: "Sanctify, we beseech thee, O Lord, this food to our use, and us to Thy service, for Christ's sake. Amen." Not a word here of thanks to the Giver of all good for His bounties spread upon the table before us; and the prayer which is made is out of place, it being that God would do something which He has already done, and for which He expects thanksgiving or praise from loving hearts which know Him.

And even where formulas have long been laid aside, one has often to hear what is really only an expansion of the gloomy one just quoted prayer about the food, about ourselves, about our service, but never a note of praise to our God for His creature-gifts! Prayer is very, very blessed, but so also in its place is praise not only does it re-act subjectively upon ourselves, but it glorifies God. "Whoso offereth praise (or, thanksgiving, marg.) glorifieth me" (Ps. 50:23). At a meal-table it is sometimes said, Will you ask a blessing? and the appropriate reply would be, "No; the food is already blessed; it is sanctified to our use; and for this food, thus already blessed, I will cheerfully give thanks."

A precious thought in connection with the meal-table is that the thanksgiving is on the basis of redemption, for we do not receive God's gifts on the original ground of creation, but because of the cross of Christ. God could not, as righteous, bestow the smallest benefit upon a sinner, unless His righteousness in doing so were satisfied. Therefore it is on account of the propitiation of Christ that our daily mercies come to us; and indeed not only to us, but to the world. This is the basis on which God "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." The man of the world little dreams that he owes his food and raiment and every good that he enjoys to the despised atonement of Christ; but God would be exhibiting indulgence to sin if it were otherwise. It is in this regard that "Christ … is the propitiation … for the whole world" (1 John 2:2). Men are continued in life upon the earth, and afforded the free use of God's magnificent creation (magnificent, though marred), because of the propitiation of Christ; and it is in this sense that God is Saviour (Preserver) of all men, specially of those who believe (1 Tim. 4:10). Temporal salvation, not eternal, is what this text refers to.

If now the offering of thanksgiving glorifies God, shall we refrain from this when we are in public, say at a restaurant, or other public table? No doubt this is often a trial to the flesh; it is at once an open confession of Christ, which the natural heart would willingly evade; but we should recall to our minds the Lord's precious words, "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8). And again, "Them that honour me, I will honour" (1 Sam. 3:30). Paul, on board ship, "took bread and gave thanks to God, in presence of them all" (the ship's company) (Acts 27:35). Daniel kneeled upon his knees and prayed at his open window, as he had done aforetime, three times a day, although at the penalty of death.

Thus this slight matter of thanksgiving at meals may afford to us a test of where we really are, as to the power of God in our souls. "I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will," says Paul, "and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (1 Cor. 19, 20). E.J.T.