The precious gifts of God found in every single day - 28 November 2023

God is good to all his children. He knows what we need, even before we ask (Matthew 6:8). The art of graceful living is to see God’s provision in all the small blessings of every day.

One of life’s blessings is the ability to eat well and to enjoy it. This precious gift is under attack these days! We have become part of an instant world. So many people enjoy fast food on an almost daily basis, usually in front of a television screen. When we eat like this, we eat just to survive. Our attention is on the screen, we are not focused on the food that we are consuming. We miss the blessing that God intended eating to be. It was not always like this.

There is something very special about growing some of your own food. It is good to have a little patch of land where you can get your hands dirty with the soil of this earth. There is joy in seeing the germination of seed and to help it grow to maturity, when you can harvest it. It is so good to harvest your own food and prepare it with love for the people you care about. You don’t have a farm? Investigate urban farming – even a tomato plant in a container will make a difference!

It takes love and care to prepare a nutritious meal for your loved ones. Why not do it properly? When someone has cooked a meal for you, respect the effort. Do not eat in front of a television screen! Set a lovely table, light a candle, make a feast of it and celebrate every bite. You can prepare and serve every meal with love. It does not have to be luxurious food! I have shared meals with very poor people and enjoyed simple meals that were given with love. It was some of the best meals I have ever eaten. Love and care make all the difference.

The same is true of the water that we drink. I enjoy long walks on pilgrimages. To reach cold water at the end of a long stretch of walking is one of life’s great joys! Clean, cold drinking water is a precious gift of God. Water is life; celebrate every drink!

Ecclesiastes agrees; we work hard to survive and keep our heads above water. It is not easy to thrive in these days. The secret of living a life of abundance is to cultivate the habit of being aware of small blessings. Share your blessings with others. Share your meal, serve it up beautifully and see what a difference it makes in your own mood! Remember the words of Proverbs 15:15: “All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.”

Prayer: Lord, you are so good to me! Please forgive me when I compare my life with others. Help me to be aware of your goodness in today’s blessings. Help me to taste your goodness in each piece of bread and in the cold water that I may drink today. Give me a grateful heart! Amen