Bless this Food

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture.

 

How about a falafel on Shabbat??
Somewhere in Israel

We always have the most wonderful meals for Shabbat or Sabbath—our day of rest. God commanded the Israelites to rest on the seventh day, just like He did when He created the world and everything in it. Shabbat is our day of rest, ordained by God. Mother fixes our evening meal just before Shabbat and then prepares food for the next day so that we all rest on Shabbat.

You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. Exodus 20:9-11

We ask a blessing on the meal before we eat. Then it is a Jewish custom to give thanks, offering a blessing after the meal, particularly one that includes bread. The prayer is known as the Birkat Hamazon. Grace after Meals. It isn’t so much as to express thankfulness as it is to be humble—recognizing God’s dominion. This is a short example:

Blessed is The Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, who sustains the entire world with goodness, kindness, and mercy. God gives good to all creatures, for God’s mercy is everlasting. Through God’s abundant goodness we have not lacked sustenance, and may we not lack sustenance forever, for the sake of God’s great name. God sustains all, does good to all, and provides food for all the creatures whom God has created. Blessed is The Lord our God, who provides food for all.

All the Jews in Nazareth, in fact all of Israel, focus on a Shabbat meal before sunset on the sixth day of the week. Then on the seventh day, we rest. It is a custom that our ancestors have practiced since the time of Moses. That resting time each week is good for us all. God provides the food that nourishes our bodies and His word that nurtures our spirits. God created man and woman to be like Him—spiritual. My hope is to one day feed God’s people around me both bread and spiritual food. Thanks be to the Lord God—who created heaven and earth and all that is within them. He provides and blesses the food we eat.

 

Prayer – Lord God, Thank You for the variety and bounty of food that You provide for us—and the creativity to prepare it in appetizing ways. We are blessed. Please show us ways we can be a blessing to others. Serving You by serving others.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17

 

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

It is that cold and flu time of the year. Be sure to eat good foods that God has provided for us all—fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and foods with no sugar or processing, if possible. Here’s a list of herbs that can be beneficial in keeping you healthy or fighting viruses.

 

Herbs that Fight Viral Infections

1.      Oregano

2.      Sage

3.      Basil

4.      Fennel

5.      Garlic

6.      Lemon Balm

7.      Peppermint

8.      Rosemary

9.      Echinacea

10.   Elderberries

11.   Licorice

12.   Astragalus

13.   Ginger

14.   Ginseng

15.   Dandelion

Add these herbs to your favorite recipes or make them into a tea.

 

© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

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