DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Appreciate the Blessing of Food

Providential Father,
Though so easily taken for granted, thank you for the blessing of food. While food is certainly fuel that you provide to nourish and sustain our bodies, it is also a blessing to be enjoyed and appreciated. You paint pictures of banquets and celebrations in Scripture using imagery of delicious food and wine, and such descriptions are relatable to us because of memorable experiences we’ve had that involved food. The variety of tastes and flavors and the science behind how food is prepared and served are fascinating reminders of your generosity and how marvelously blessed we are.

Let our relationship with food be a healthy one, grounded in moderation and avoiding the extremes of malnourishing our bodies or overindulging. Guard us against gluttony. Intervene on behalf of those who are starving and open channels by which they can be fed. Provide wise counsel, support, and real help to those who struggle with eating disorders, and mercifully spare their bodies from long-term damage. Guide our decision-making when it comes to eating so that we embrace food as another blessing by which we can glorify and honor you. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For a Right Relationship with Food

Dear Lord,
Food is not just a necessity for our bodies, but a gift you give for us to enjoy. Thank you for the variety of flavors, tastes, and textures we find in our food. Thank you for spices and seasonings and different styles of food preparation. You frequently use banquets and food in Scripture to paint so many spiritual pictures for us, all of which help us delight in your promises all the more.

However, we sometimes struggle in our relationship with food. Even though eating disorders may be more frequently associated with women, guys are not immune to them. Keep us from a relationship with food that goes to any extreme. It isn’t merely fuel, but eating can be an experience to be enjoyed. Neither is food merely for pleasure or an escape when we overindulge, but it is nourishment for our bodies. Food itself is neither moral nor amoral; it is rather our relationship with it that determines how we manage it as a blessing. Let us not be ruled or enslaved by it, but always be in control, and see our diet and eating habits as yet another way to honor you as we care for our bodies. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Be Mindful of What I Eat

Providential Father,
Food is a blessing from you, not only to provide fuel for our bodies, but also to be enjoyed. Yet, just as we do with so many of the good gifts you give us, we can abuse them or take them for granted. Help me take to heart the significance of praying for my daily bread in the Lord’s Prayer – to see the wisdom in your promise to provide exactly what I need. That way, I neither over-indulge in gluttony, nor despair of starvation.

Rather than filling me with more than I need, fill me with self-control, so that my cravings are curbed and I can appreciate in moderation even the joy and pleasure of finer food and drink. In gratitude for the gift of life and the body you’ve given me by which to enjoy it, lead me to show my heart-felt thanks by being sensible about what I put into my body, without becoming pharisaical or legalistic about it. And finally, keep me from being wasteful with food, while also being generous to others with it.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For a Healthy Relationship with Food

Gracious Lord,
Food is a blessing by which you not only bring us needed nourishment for our bodies, but also the pleasure of enjoying a virtually unlimited variety of tastes and textures. Guide me to find a balance between the two. I want to eat wisely and be mindful of what fuels my body, but not to such an extreme that I neglect memorable dining or tasting experiences. On the other hand, keep me from being so focused on good food, recipes, or dining out, that I end up being careless about what I am eating. Thank you for endless eating choices for both nourishment and enjoyment, and help me maintain moderation in my diet. Grant me a healthy relationship with food so that I am able to curb my cravings and practice self-control. May I always seek to honor you in my approach to food and diet. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.