Bless Your Little Heart
Thanksgiving (the holiday) is now over - the day we talk about being grateful for our blessings. I hope we all do recognize them more than one day a year!
My father's parents (Ethel and Carson) prayed a blessing over every meal. One of my strongest memories is them both in their old age kneeling together nightly in front of the couch praying aloud together. I understand now why they did it in front of the couch. My joints have reached the age of needing assistance to arise also.
In the Bible the word bless appears 127 times, the word blessed 302 and the word blessing over 600. It is a recurring theme in the Bible.
The Hebrew verb barak means kneel or who respect. A related word is berakhah meaning gift or present. So, to bring a gift while kneeling out of respect. That makes me think of three guys who traveled to see a certain baby.
Meanings of words often change over time. The word faggot at one time was a small bundle of sticks for burning. The word fag was referring to a tiring job, or even a cigarette. The meaning of the word blessed changed over time also.
In the Old Testament a blessing referred to a physical manifestation to those favored by God. In the New Testament it is used more to refer to those favored by God in a spiritual way. Today it is used as an adjective for feeling good or having something good happen to you.
In America we have a lot of casual phrases that refer to blessings
Just a short list: (Cause you know I love a good list)
After sneezing- Bless You
Bless this food
God bless America
A mixed blessing
A blessing in disguise
Count your blessings
and my favorite Southern use: Bless your little heart.
That last one can be sincere or it can mean "you're an idiot" or can be used to soften the blow before delivering an insult.
So why do we ask a blessing upon our meal? In this country we often forget that in many times and in many countries today a bountiful meal is rare and is indeed a blessing, even a miracle.
Our food does not need blessed. It came from God, who is good. The food is already a blessing. What needs given is a prayer of thankfulness. I refer to 1 Corinthians 10:30
"If I take part n the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for."
The custom of blessing the food probably came from the Greeks. Everything that God created is good, and already blessed. The traditional Jewish before dining prayer - used for over 2,000 years and most likely used by Jesus himself would be translated something like this:
Blessed are you O lord, our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
This blessing is given towards God. I have two other verses to reference.
Matthew 14:19
This is the story of the two fish and five loaves. Jesus looked up to heaven and gave thanks and then broke the bread.
The other verse I want to reference is Matthew 26:26
This is when Jesus and the Disciples were in the upper room. First Jesus gave thanks for the bread. He then proceeded with the very first Sacrament of Communion.
Even back in the Old Testament Deuteronomy 8:10
"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you."
Perhaps the simple prayer of our childhood is the most appropriate
God is great and God is good, let us thank him for this food. By his hands we all are fed, give us Lord our daily bread.
Thanksgiving to God shouldn't be just a holiday but an every day, bless your little heart.
I want to credit the website Acts 242 Study.com for insight.
My prayers today are with my ex-husbands family as they are grieving, and for others of you who are grieving the loss of loved ones.
My father's parents (Ethel and Carson) prayed a blessing over every meal. One of my strongest memories is them both in their old age kneeling together nightly in front of the couch praying aloud together. I understand now why they did it in front of the couch. My joints have reached the age of needing assistance to arise also.
In the Bible the word bless appears 127 times, the word blessed 302 and the word blessing over 600. It is a recurring theme in the Bible.
The Hebrew verb barak means kneel or who respect. A related word is berakhah meaning gift or present. So, to bring a gift while kneeling out of respect. That makes me think of three guys who traveled to see a certain baby.
Meanings of words often change over time. The word faggot at one time was a small bundle of sticks for burning. The word fag was referring to a tiring job, or even a cigarette. The meaning of the word blessed changed over time also.
In the Old Testament a blessing referred to a physical manifestation to those favored by God. In the New Testament it is used more to refer to those favored by God in a spiritual way. Today it is used as an adjective for feeling good or having something good happen to you.
In America we have a lot of casual phrases that refer to blessings
Just a short list: (Cause you know I love a good list)
After sneezing- Bless You
Bless this food
God bless America
A mixed blessing
A blessing in disguise
Count your blessings
and my favorite Southern use: Bless your little heart.
That last one can be sincere or it can mean "you're an idiot" or can be used to soften the blow before delivering an insult.
So why do we ask a blessing upon our meal? In this country we often forget that in many times and in many countries today a bountiful meal is rare and is indeed a blessing, even a miracle.
Our food does not need blessed. It came from God, who is good. The food is already a blessing. What needs given is a prayer of thankfulness. I refer to 1 Corinthians 10:30
"If I take part n the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for."
The custom of blessing the food probably came from the Greeks. Everything that God created is good, and already blessed. The traditional Jewish before dining prayer - used for over 2,000 years and most likely used by Jesus himself would be translated something like this:
Blessed are you O lord, our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
Matthew 14:19
This is the story of the two fish and five loaves. Jesus looked up to heaven and gave thanks and then broke the bread.
The other verse I want to reference is Matthew 26:26
This is when Jesus and the Disciples were in the upper room. First Jesus gave thanks for the bread. He then proceeded with the very first Sacrament of Communion.
Even back in the Old Testament Deuteronomy 8:10
"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you."
Perhaps the simple prayer of our childhood is the most appropriate
God is great and God is good, let us thank him for this food. By his hands we all are fed, give us Lord our daily bread.
Thanksgiving to God shouldn't be just a holiday but an every day, bless your little heart.
I want to credit the website Acts 242 Study.com for insight.
My prayers today are with my ex-husbands family as they are grieving, and for others of you who are grieving the loss of loved ones.
Comments
Post a Comment