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A Prayer Before Meals (Grace)
A short blessing to pray before a meal, at a crowded table or a quiet one, giving thanks for the gift of daily bread.
Father, thank You for this food and the hands that prepared it.
Thank You for providing all we need, day by day.
Bless it to our bodies, and bless this time together.
Make us mindful of those who have less, and quick to share.
In Jesus' name, amen.
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
Matthew 6:11
You don’t have to pray alone
On The Living Bread you can ask the family of God to pray for you and watch prayers be answered, or pray for someone else who needs it today. It is free, and you are welcome exactly as you are.
This prayer at a glance
| Prayer for | Before a Meal |
|---|---|
| Lines to pray | 5 |
| Anchored in | Matthew 6:11 |
| Time to pray it | about a minute, slowly |
| Related prayers | 3 |
Read it in context
Scripture explains Scripture. These passages are linked to this one most often by readers.
- Proverbs 30:8
- Luke 11:3
- Matthew 4:4
- Psalms 34:10
- John 6:31-59
- Psalms 33:18-19
- Job 23:12
- Isaiah 33:16
- Exodus 16:16-35
- 1 Timothy 6:8
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY.
Questions people ask
What Scripture is a prayer before meals (grace) built on?
It rests on Matthew 6:11. The prayer above is written in plain words around that passage, and the verse is quoted from the stored text, not from memory.
What if I have no words to pray before meals (grace)?
Start with the first line of the prayer above and stop there if that is all you can say. God hears the first honest sentence. You can also ask the family of God on The Living Bread to pray with you and for you.
Can I pray this for someone else?
Yes. Change the first person to their name and pray the same lines for them. Praying for others is part of loving one another, and you can ask the family of God to join you.
Pray this
Father, you are already present in Before a Meal, before any of us arrive. We bring you before a meal, work, the morning. Let your Body in that place love one another and be one. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Live this
Take one step this week.
- Pray the lines above once today, out loud if you can, and read Matthew 6:11 in your own Bible.
- Tell one trusted person that you are praying about before a meal, and ask them to pray with you.
- Write down one thing you notice this week, so that you can thank God by name when it comes.
Where this fits in the walk with Christ
Christ meets people in a place, and then walks on with them. Here are doors that walk on.
