God is great, God is good
Let us thank Him for our food.
By His hands, we all are fed
Give us, Lord, our daily bread.
Amen
God is great, God is good
Do you ever feel like this is not the case?
I’ve heard many people ask the question, “If God is good, then why do bad things happen?”
God is our creator and King of everything (Genesis 1:1). He is perfect, all-wise, all-knowing, all-present, and all-powerful. Because of our bent towards sin, we cannot know or be in the presence of such a holy God. It’s because of Jesus’ death on a cross that anyone can be saved and know God.
God’s Word reveals that His goodness manifests in so many ways. The primary way he shows his goodness and love towards those who love him is through Jesus.
Jesus, God in the flesh, came to live an absolute perfect life that no one could ever live, die for our sins, and raise from the dead to show that the payment worked and he’s seated on the right hand of God, advocating for his people.
Romans 5:8 says “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
We are never promised a good life. “The rain falls on the just and the unjust,” Matthew 5:45-47. Jesus came so that we could have an abundant and joyous life despite the sin-cursed world we live in. Because of the fall (when sin entered through the first sin in the very beginning), it’s a miracle we can experience anything good. It’s God’s common grace that he gives to all, and his saving grace he gives to some that anyone is able to experience His goodness.
So the question shouldn’t be “If God is good, then why do bad things happen,” but “Why do good things happen at all?”
God is great, God is good.
Let us thank Him for our food
In the Exodus, the Israelites started a 40-year journey wondering through the wilderness before entering the promised land. Because of their sin, God delayed their gift and they found themselves in a tough spot where food collection was tricky.
In His goodness, God provided mana. It literally fell from the sky on a daily basis (except for the Sabbath) to give them exactly what they needed. Were they ungrateful at times? Yes. Was the provision something they even liked to eat? Probably not. Would they rather be eating Chick-fil-a? Definitely.
But God continued to give out of the abundance of his love and grace for His people. To preserve them, to nurture them, to comfort them. He cares for your needs today as well.
Matthew 6:26 explains that our heavenly Father feeds the birds as they neither sow nor reap. “Are you not more value than them?” the verse continues. Verse 30 says that the Lord clothes the grass, which doesn’t last very long, “will He not much more clothe you…?”
The Lord gives. Even when we don’t deserve anything good because of our sin. The Lord still gives. And we should be thankful.
Let us thank him for this food.
By His hands, we all are fed
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
This is where many people, wives and moms especially, get worked up about who deserves the credit for making dinner.
Ephesians 2:8-9 is talking about our salvation and how no man can, in any way, work for the gift of eternal life. It’s a gift! It was Christ’s work on the cross that anyone can receive this gift of eternal life.
If we truly believe that God provides for our every single need, and is working in us “both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13), it is God who gives the skills in the kitchen, the creativity to put together a plan for dinner, and anything pleasurable about how it tastes.
By His hands, we all are fed.
Give us, Lord, our daily bread
We cannot rely on our own works, skills, or knowledge to provide for ourselves or our families. It’s God who gives. Our ultimate security shouldn’t come from our paycheck, our spouse, the lock on our front door, or our ability to perform.
Let me tell you something. If it was up to us to provide everything for our family, we would fail every single day. We are not enough to give security. We are not enough to provide everything our family needs. But God is enough. He is our Shepherd and has given us everything that we need (Psalm 23:1).
Will you slow down to see that your daily bread is yours for the taking if you put aside your pride and depend on the Lord’s mana?
May this mealtime prayer serve as a reminder of our complete need of a Savior, and help us to have thankfulness in our hearts as we take from the fruitful tree that he offers.
Here’s some wall art I found on Amazon with the exact prayer!
