Question: Can I say grace during a meal?

You can say grace before, during, and after a meal if you choose. The point is to be thankful and remember that without God’s Grace, you wouldn’t have what you have.

In Western culture we typically are taught to pray BEFORE a meal. The idea is that you put God first; before your appetite.

However, if were going to put a fine point on it, Scripture actually directs us to pray AFTER a meal. This is so that after our appetites have been satisfied we do not forget the Most High, who has made Provision for us.

As it is written: “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you. “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Deuteronomy 8:10–14, NASB95)

It is for this reason that many people pray after a meal.

During special festival meals, such as Passover, or Tabernacles; special prayers are often given before, during, and after meals. The prayers during a meal are four different courses such as salad, bread, wine, and meat, and sometimes dessert.

That is why I said that you can pray before, during, and after the meal.

The big issue is to make sure that you are thanking the Almighty for making provision for you, and for empowering you to work. The big reason is that we want to make sure we worship the Almighty Creator, and we do not worship ourselves, or the works of our own hands (which is idolatry).

Sample Prayers for meals

Prayer Before a Meal

Blessed are You, (יהוה YAHWEH) Almighty One, Creator and King of the Universe; Who establishes the days of our lives; Who sanctifies us with Your Commandments; and who supplies us with various kinds of foods. Omein.

Prayers During a Meal

Prayers for Bread

Blessed are You, (יהוה YAHWEH) Almighty One, Creator and King of the Universe; Who sanctifies us with Your Commandments; and Who brings forth the bread of the earth; and who brought to us Yahshua/Jesus (יֵשׁוּעַ) the Messiah, Who is the Living Bread (Messianic). Omein.

Prayers for Wine

Blessed are You, (יהוה YAHWEH) Almighty One, Creator and King of the Universe; Who sanctifies us with Your Commandments; and Who brings forth the fruit of the vine. Omein.

Prayers for Vegetables and Herbs

Blessed are You, (יהוה YAHWEH) Almighty One, Creator and King of the Universe; Who sanctifies us with Your Commandments; and Who multiplies the seeds and produce of the fields. Omein

Prayers for Meat

Blessed are You, (יהוה YAHWEH) Almighty One, Creator and King of the Universe; Who sanctifies us with Your Commandments; and Who multiplies the flocks and herds of the field, that we may have meat to eat. Omein

Prayers for Dessert

Blessed are You, (יהוה YAHWEH) Almighty One, Creator and King of the Universe; Who sanctifies us with Your Commandments; and Who Graciously allows us to eat some fat and to enjoy some sweet. Omein.

Prayers AFTER Meals

Blessed are You, (יהוה YAHWEH) Almighty One, Creator and King of the Universe; Who sanctifies us with Your Commandments; Who mercifully allowed us to reach this day, and granted us provisions that we may eat and be satisfied. Now that we have eaten and been satisfied, we remember You, and we bless You, oh (יהוה YAHWEH). We thank You for making provision for us in this land. We ask that You would give us Grace to always remember You and never to forget You. May we never have so much abundance that we would grow fat and forget You, but may we never be so deprived and needy that we would grow desperate and curse You. Instead, grant us Grace always to walk uprightly, so that we will never lack for any good thing. Omein.

Key Note:

Did you notice that we never say a prayer such as, “God bless this food which we are about to receive?” That is INTENTIONAL. On the surface that LOOKS like a MINOR detail, but it is actually a massive difference. The difference is that we are worshiping God. We DON’T worship the PROVISION. We bless and honor the PROVIDER, and NOT the creation that He provides. That is a huge difference between Biblical God-followers and the rest of the world.

It is considered highly IMPROPER to “Bless the food,” when we should be worshiping the Creator and NOT the creation that He provides. That seems like a subtle difference, but it is actually a HUGE distinction.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Shalom.

Brother Michel Lankford