Enjoy Food as a Gift from God - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - May 26, 2025
“Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.’” Genesis 1:29 (NIV)
As I cut fresh zucchini and onions in my kitchen, I thought about how much I’d enjoyed buying them at a farmers market that morning. My friend Karen and I visited that market regularly on summer and fall Saturdays. Every trip there was like a treasure hunt, full of delightful fresh produce to try. Now, as I was preparing yet another meal from the treasures I’d brought home from the market, I said a prayer of thanks to God.
While you’re enjoying a meal, have you ever thought about where your food came from? I don’t mean just the kitchen or the grocery store, but deeper than that. Your loving and generous Heavenly Father has made it possible for you to enjoy delicious and nutritious food. God created all the seeds to grow to become vegetables, fruits, and grains. He also created all the people who help bring your food from farms to your table.
Genesis 1:29 takes you to that time during creation when God gave humanity the wonderful gift of food. Instead of choosing to give us just one plain type of food for energy, God created an abundant variety of food with all sorts of creative colors, tastes, and textures. You can now enjoy the refreshing coolness of a cucumber, the sweet crunch of a fresh apple, and much more because God loves you!
Since life gets busy, your meals can easily become rushed or routine. But you can enjoy your meals and learn more about God through them, if you keep Genesis 1:29 in mind while you eat. What if you began to see each bite of food as a reminder of God’s care for you personally? What if you used the senses God gave you to experience the wonder of your food? What if you thought about what your food can show you about God as the Creator, such as the bright red color of a strawberry showing you God’s beauty and the satisfaction of warm bread reminding you of God’s comfort?
Food often brings people together for family dinners, picnics with friends, and more. When you gather around a table, you’re enjoying fellowship, which is another gift from God. Meals can be joyful experiences where you and other people you love can celebrate God’s gifts together.
God didn’t create a bland, one-size-fits-all world. Instead, he filled it with abundance and diversity. This reflects how God overflows with creativity and joy. God could have made all food taste the same, but he gave you variety because he wants you to enjoy wonder every day.
So, how can you start to appreciate food as a gift from God more deeply? Here are some tips:
-Start by slowing down. Don’t rush through your meals. Pray over your meal to thank God for it. Eat slowly and mindfully, so you can notice the flavors, scents, and textures of your food. Let them all remind you of God’s creative power.
-Try new foods occasionally, and see them as invitations to experience more of God’s wonder. Read about where some of your favorite ingredients come from and marvel at how they grow. Maybe even plant something yourself, in your yard outside or in a garden pot you keep indoors. Watching food grow connects you to God’s ongoing work in creation.
-Most of all, let your meals inspire you with awe for your Creator. If God provides food for you so generously, how much more generous will God be in every other part of your life? Let each meal be a way to worship God by expressing your gratitude to him.
Today, as you prepare and eat your next meal, remind yourself of what a wonderful gift the food is from God to you. Appreciating your food can open your eyes to noticing God’s extraordinary work in the most ordinary areas of your life!
Let’s pray:
Dear God, thank you for the food you give me each day. I’m grateful for you making it so beautiful, delicious, and full of variety. I’m amazed at how creative and generous you are. When I eat, help me to remember that you are the one who ultimately provides my food. Help me not to take anything for granted. I want to experience your wonder in every meal I eat by myself or share with others. Teach me to slow down, to notice what you want to show me, and to worship you even while I’m eating my daily meals. I love you, and I thank you for loving me so well. Amen.
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