"You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink."
--G.K. Chesterton
I was taught to say grace before meals, but never before events I attended or work that I was going to perform. However, I have always asked for God's help before taking a test, speaking or writing. Asking for God's help on my work gives me a warm fuzzy and confidence to begin the task. With God's help, I know I can accomplish a lot more than I possibly could being on my own.
I thought I knew the Bible fairly well, but it seems that I've missed a few verses along the way, or at least the interpretation of how to use them in my every day life. In Colossians 3:17 Paul tells us, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." It doesn't specify when to give thanks, so it could be at the beginning or end of the undertaking.
Again, in I Thessalonians 5:16-18 we are told to "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God." If I am giving thanks in everything and praying without ceasing, then I am certainly praying before and after what I do.
But I believe Christ's example during the Passover Meal before his betrayal is undisputed. He gave thanks before and after the distribution of the bread and wine. "Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:26-28)
My lesson for today is to give thanks for God's blessing on my work as well as events I participate in before I begin, instead of just asking for the blessing. Then at the end, give Him gratitude. We can never give Him too much praise or thanksgiving. After all, He has given us our lives and gifts to use to His glory.
I thought I knew the Bible fairly well, but it seems that I've missed a few verses along the way, or at least the interpretation of how to use them in my every day life. In Colossians 3:17 Paul tells us, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." It doesn't specify when to give thanks, so it could be at the beginning or end of the undertaking.
Again, in I Thessalonians 5:16-18 we are told to "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God." If I am giving thanks in everything and praying without ceasing, then I am certainly praying before and after what I do.
But I believe Christ's example during the Passover Meal before his betrayal is undisputed. He gave thanks before and after the distribution of the bread and wine. "Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:26-28)
My lesson for today is to give thanks for God's blessing on my work as well as events I participate in before I begin, instead of just asking for the blessing. Then at the end, give Him gratitude. We can never give Him too much praise or thanksgiving. After all, He has given us our lives and gifts to use to His glory.
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