Thankfulness: From Hand to Heart Day 19

"And He directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people." Matthew 14:19 NIV

    And, just like that, we're on to the New Testament. And we open with Jesus. Of course. The miracle of the loaves and the fishes is one of a few miracles that appears in each of the four Gospels. And in every account, it simply says Jesus, "gave thanks". His actual words don't appear.

   I'm quite certain Jesus gave thanks for many reasons-because He recognized every thing we need is supplied by God, because it was an opportunity to talk to His Father, because it was an opportunity to show glory. But I also feel it was to set an example. They were all about to sit down to eat, and Jesus was saying grace. He was literally blessing the food.

   It amuses me, in a delighted-in-the-small-things kind of way, that Jesus prayed over the food. He knew everything that would happen, but still He stopped to pray. He provided everything, He had power over everything, but He still gave thanks. What an awesome example, but of course He was! He asked His Father to bless those loaves and fish, He was grateful for the opportunity to eat. In His human body, He needed food and He was grateful for it.

   In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, food is the base of the whole operation. If that need isn't met, many other things stop mattering, like companionship, creativity, or even our personal security. Food is pretty darn important. And Jesus certainly recognized that. He also recognized Who is the source of all of our food.

"I was young and now I am old,

    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken

    or their children begging bread". 

Psalm 37:25 NIV

   Ultimately, no matter who is the "bread-winner" in your family, the real Provider is our Father in heaven. The Lord's prayer shows us who to ask for it each day (Matthew 6:9-13). So there is good reason one of the earliest things we teach children about prayer is to thank God for their food. That's something we never outgrow.

Today's Reflection:Truly take time today to thank God for your food, perhaps a step further than a rushed few sentences before you chow down. Some of us struggle with food in different ways, but it still isn't something we can live without. Thank the Lord for providing us with food, and setting an example of giving thanks. 

Looking for the printable scripture writing plan? Or another day of the "Thankfulness: From Hand to Heart" study? Find them here!