Wednesday, October 30: Deuteronomy 8- Grace before meals as heart protection.

Moses gives an incredible string of instruction in verses 10-18, the essence of which I have printed here. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God…. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, … then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. … You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

It is so easy to grow satisfied and to believe the comfort we have ‘earned’ is all a matter of our doing. I am quite prone to laud myself when things are going well. Moses might as well have been listening to the words of my heart, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me."

But Moses shows that it is a dangerous state when God is left out of the equation…when God’s role and God’s grace are forgotten.

In verse 10 I heard God’s remedy for a puffed up heart. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. And if I substitute the word ‘things’ for the word ‘land’ it becomes even more personal and practical for ME.

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good things he has given you. This simple thought caused me to see how helpful pausing to pray a simple thanks-filled grace before meals can be.

In those 60-seconds of ‘grace’, I acknowledge God’s role in providing what I am about to eat. In those 60-seconds, my mind focuses on God who provides, not only food, but shelter, family, health, etc.… These 60-seconds put a shield of protection around my heart and mind, warding off arrogance and self-reliance, while at the same time creating space for dependence, thanks and appreciation to grow.

Who would have thought that those simple 60-seconds could be so helpful and God-life breathing?!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above you heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.