16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.17And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
We are blessed people, and it's helpful to call attention to the ways that God has blessed us. He is the giver of all good gifts, and I think that we can pinpoint specific ways in which we have seen Him work and take time to verbally give Him praise. In so doing, our appreciation of and devotion to our loving God grow.
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I believe that God wants us to walk through life with a consistently prayerful and thankful attitude. In 1st Thessalonians 5, we read:
17pray without ceasing,18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
A woman visited a restaurant in Winston-Salem, North Carolina recently and was surprised to find that she had been offered a discount off the price of her meal. Jordan Smith told HLN that she and two colleagues had stopped at the restaurant for breakfast and as she says, they, "prayed over our meal and the waitress came over at the end of the meal and said, 'Just so you know, we gave you a 15% discount for praying,' which I'd never seen before."
Jordan posted the receipt on Facebook, containing the notation of a 15% discount, applied for "Praying in Public." On their own Facebook page, Mary's Gourmet Diner confirmed the receipt is legit and an employee told the network they throw in the "public prayer" discount all the time.
Smith says she was "definitely surprised" by the 15% savings and that "the three of us at the table talked about how wonderful that is and what a cool thing it is that they do as business owners." Jordan's post was shared on Facebook by one of her friends, who posted it on the page of an Orlando radio station, and the news has spread.
The Blaze spoke with restaurant owner Mary Haglund, who confirmed the price reduction, noting that she’s been offering it for the past four years without much fanfare. She explained, “For me, every plate of food is a gift...And I never take that for granted and when I see someone in a restaurant honoring their gratefulness at my table … it touches my heart.” She said that the “gift” she gives customers has nothing to do with a specific religious perspective, that she never advertises the discount and that it’s something staffers sporadically offer only when they feel compelled to do so.
Mary's generosity apparently has been influenced by her time spent in the Philippines, where she had seen people in true need. So, she is tuned in to really being appreciative for food.
I think there are simple things in this life that we enjoy, but really don't take the time to give God thanks for. The food we eat, the amenities of life, just basic services such as water and electricity - these are all items in our lives that people in other parts of the world cannot enjoy. We can possess a constant sense of gratitude when we think about what God has given to us, and I think it's important that we speak it out sometimes.
So often, I do think that a blessing before a meal, even in public, can be a rote exercise. It's a good thing to bless our food or to thank the Lord for it, but wouldn't it be great if we truly had a more heartfelt approach when we thank our God? Recognizing Him as our provider can strengthen our connection with Him each day.
One more thought: Mary Haglund and her staff recognize public prayer. Jesus taught against a public show of prayer, but I believe that the heartfelt act of calling on God with others around can be a powerful statement of our faith and His faithfulness. It may even open up a door for conversation to share about God's goodness.
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