An expression without conviction.
Just before meals, do we casually mumble a few same old, often repeated words without much thought, but we feel better because we have “said Grace” as is our habit. Grace means God’s undeserved favour. How can we express genuine gratitude for that with a few hasty careless words? The food on your table comes right from the Garden of Eden and on the journey of thousands of years from Eden to your table, God created all the necessary know-how in humans, so that what God produced in Eden arrives at your table in its delicious and nourishing form. When you pour milk on your cereal, put cream in your coffee, butter your bread - - do you ever pause to marvel that you would have no milk, no cream, no butter if God had not created cows? Do you sometimes enjoy bacon and eggs for breakfast or lunch? Such a meal would not be possible if God had not created pigs and chickens. The far-reaching scope of God’s creation is amazing and well worth taking time for profitable consideration and sincere heart-felt gratitude.
When I was having breakfast this morning the Lord showed me something totally new to me about the wonders of His creation. First came a question – when God made the world, why did He make different temperatures for different regions? Then came the answer – for the economy! Bananas do not grow in Canada, so Canada purchases bananas from Florida and Costa Rica. I was in awe as I thought of all the countries where different foods grow and realized the purpose. This was part of God’s plan to give financial stability to every country. Oh, the depth (Romans 11:33) of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Just one quick example of creation’s scope. Usually. we think of cranberries as a delicious fruit and sauce for roast turkey. Then we discover that in concentrated capsules it is a cure for urinary infection. Do you complain because you have to take pills every day? Just think of all the chemicals God puts into plants and other created sources which become the medication for maintaining our health.
When we thank the Lord for our food, it is a good time to thank Him for the farmers of cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens etc. plus those who sow and reap from the ground, bushes, trees, and don’t forget fishermen. Pray that the Holy Spirit will cause many of them to lift their eyes to heaven (Psalms 19:1) hear the witness of the skies and realize that the Sovereign Creator is the all-glorious and only Saviour. That by the convicting and enlightening power of the Holy Spirit farmers all around the world would start on the road to salvation.
The Lord said (Isaiah 45:19) that there was no difference between His Words and His deeds. What He said and what He did presented the same message. He is (Revelation 1:5) the faithful and true Witness in word and deed. What about us? Do our careless words of thanks at mealtime continue in a careless attitude about our lifestyle? Do we speak Truth, but our lives give the lie to the Truth we speak? If we belong to Jesus it is required of us that we be constant and trust the Holy Spirit to make us faithful and true witnesses just as Jesus is.
The fire (Exodus 3:2) did not destroy the bush which God created to be a channel for His voice. The Holy spirit came (Acts 2:3) in the likeness of flames of fire. The disciples were not burned or injured but were filled, energized, equipped to be what God had created them to be and to fulfill the purpose for which He had created them. The Lord creates nothing without a purpose so you and I would do well to pursue His purpose for us in dependence on the Holy Spirit.
I agree with something I heard which was well-spoken truth. “Arrogance will keep us always trying to prove ourselves to others in order to get approval and admiration. Pride is a deceiving liar and will convince us falsely that we deserve praise. Insecurity drives us to seek acceptance by becoming people-pleasers, we try to please everybody. The cure for both is humility. True humility is agreeing with God about what he says we are and (John 15:5) what we can accomplish”. What does God say we are? Jesus said (Acts 1:8) we are to be His witnesses. The word witness is the same Greek word for martyr. To be a witness/martyr does not always include physical death but that we willingly lay down our lives for others. The words that I speak (Psalms 19:14) and the thoughts in my mind must be acceptable to the Lord because they have their source in Him, then my everyday life will be in accord with and give testimony to eternal truth.
Take another look at the time and thought you give when you thank the Lord for your food. Your attitude, good or bad, will permeate every aspect of your life which could be rich with the fragrant aroma of a grateful heart – a fragrance which reaches heaven.