“Do you have childhood memories of eating a favourite food? Like your Mum’s fresh scones when you come home from school. Do you remember how you eagerly anticipated a meal with your Grandmother’s Sunday roast followed by apple pie? Or how your Dad made Saturday mornings extra special by serving up bacon & eggs? If you stop and think about it, you probably associate many of your favourite foods with family memories. Food is clearly important for nutrition, but it’s also meaningful to humans in other ways. Think about it: we’re the only mammals that cook our food. This makes our consumption of nutrients much different. Culturally speaking, food is very important. Food can be nostalgic and provide important connections to our family or our nation. Food can be a bridge that helps immigrants find their place in a new society.” Adapted from the American author, Emily Cummins.
It is important to thank God for every meal and every provision because God provides our every need. This may require patience as we wait. Something the Israelites were not good at. So out in the desert they grumbled but God provided their every need.
Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” And as soon as
Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’” In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. Exodus 16:9-13, ESV.
Be thankful for all that God has provided for you. Sing the chorus,
So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.