“Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11
We depend on God at every stage of the process by which our food comes to us. We depend on God when our food is in the field, in the barn, on the plate, and in our stomachs.
In the field
“I will take back my grain” (Hos. 2:9). When the grain is in the field, it can be destroyed by wind, rain, drought, or disease. God can take it back before it ever gets to us.
In the barn
“Threshing floor and wine vat shall not feed them” (Hos. 9:2). When the grain is in the barn, it can easily be destroyed by fire. One blaze and the whole harvest is gone.
On the plate
“They loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death” (Psa. 107:18). What use is food on your plate if you do not have an appetite to eat it?
In your stomach
“His food is turned in his stomach; it is the venom of cobras within him” (Job 20:14). Even when the food is in your stomach, it will be of no use to you if it makes you sick.
Thomas Boston says, “The universe and all the creatures in it are upheld by God like a ball in the air, which would fall to the ground if He withdrew His supporting hand. If God withdrew His hand, our food would all vanish, the beasts would disappear, and the sun would go out like a candle” (author paraphrase).
Your food is as much a gift from God as the manna in the wilderness. So, give thanks to the Lord. Many Christians recognize this by saying grace at meals. This is a good tradition. It reminds us three times a day that God is providing for us.
