In episode 123, you explained how food is made holy by the word and prayer.

And as a follow-up question, Pastor John, should we pray before meals, why or why not?

That question should we pray before we eat might be coming from two different mindsets.

It might come from a convert out of paganism who's never seen anybody in their life pray

before they eat.

And then they see it done the first time at church or visiting a Christian and they wonder,

what is that?

And so the question might be perfectly, wonderfully appropriate and innocent coming from somebody

who wants to bring their life into conformity to a biblical way.

However, I just have the sense that this question might come from a 20-something who might

have grown up in a home where every meal time was preceded by prayer and it didn't feel

all that authentic to him and therefore he's having a hard time making that part of his

life and he wonders whether we have to do that.

So let me just say a few things and whichever of those applies, I have more the second person

in mind because I'm just suspicious that may be where it's coming from.

So here's my first observation.

The question may reveal an unwholesome view of duty.

Here's what I mean.

Edward John Carnell, who wrote the book Christian Commitment, one of my favorite books, which is

out of print, in that book writes this, suppose a husband asks his wife if he must must kiss

her good night.

Her answer is you must, but not that kind of must.

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