Table Prayer

Colossians 2:6

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

And let these gifts to us be blessed. Those are the concluding words of what some call the common table prayer. A prayer that asks the Lord to bless the food that we are taking into our bodies that the Lord would give blessing to the food so that it would nourish us and give us strength as the food is meant to do. Sort of like saying: Lord let the food do it’s work.

After the body of Christ, the gathering of believers comes to the table and receives the food of forgiveness, the body and blood of Christ, into themselves a similar prayer takes place among the people. Sometimes that prayer has this shape to it. It says: Lord, thank you for these salutary gifts.

What a weird word, salutary. That just means means gifts that are productive, gifts that we know do things.

Then we say: Lord cause those gifts to do their work. Cause these gifts to produce faith in us that receive these blessings that unto the benefits of our souls, that increases or faith in you, and also cause these gifts to propel us in love toward others, love toward our neighbor, helping them in their every bodily and spiritual need.

Lord let these gifts do their work. Summed up nicely as Paul writes to the christians in Colossians. He says

Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, (Colossians 2:6)

Amen.