Sanctifying our food through prayer

For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.
I Timothy 4:4-5

Having mentioned their hypocritical fastings, the apostle takes occasion to lay down the doctrine of the Christian liberty, which we enjoy under the gospel, of using God's good creatures,—that, whereas under the law there was a distinction of meats between clean and unclean (such sorts of flesh they might eat, and such they might not eat), all this is now taken away; and we are to call nothing common or unclean, Acts x. 15.

Here observe,
1. We are to look upon our food as that which God has created; we have it from him, and therefore must use it for him. 2. God, in making those things, had a special regard to those who believe and know the truth, to good Christians, who have a covenant right to the creatures, whereas others have only a common right.
3. What God has created is to be received with thanksgiving. We must not refuse the gifts of God's bounty, nor be scrupulous in making differences where God has made none; but receive them, and be thankful, acknowledging the power of God the Maker of them, and the bounty of God the giver of them: Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, v. 4. This plainly sets us at liberty from all the distinctions of meats appointed by the ceremonial law, as particularly that of swine's flesh, which the Jews were forbidden to eat, but which is allowed to us Christians, by this rule, Every creature of God is good. Observe, God's good creatures are then good, and doubly sweet to us, when they are received with thanksgiving.—For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer, v. 5. It is a desirable thing to have a sanctified use of our creature-comforts.

Now they are sanctified to us,
(1.) By the word of God; not only his permission, allowing us the liberty of the use of these things, but his promise to feed us with food convenient for us. This gives us a sanctified use of our creature-comforts.

(2.) By prayer, which blesses our meat to us. The word of God and prayer must be brought to our common actions and affairs, and then we do all in faith. Here observe, [1.] Every creature is God's, for he made all. Every beast in the forest is mine (says God), and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine, Ps. l. 10, 11. [2.] Every creature of God is good: when the blessed God took a survey of all his works, God saw all that was made, and, behold, it was very good, Gen. i. 31. [3.] The blessing of God makes every creature nourishing to us; man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Matt. iv. 4), and therefore nothing ought to be refused. [4.] We ought therefore to ask his blessing by prayer, and so to sanctify the creatures we receive by prayer.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible on I Timothy 4

And so we do not say grace blindly, but with a heart of thanksgiving, enjoying the covenant right of Christian liberty that Christ has offered with His blood. How true and wondrous to know that God's gift of food is doubly sweet for Christians when we receive it with thanksgiving through prayer, because it is sanctified and we are once again reminded that we have been freed from the laws of the Torah and we can have fellowship with God through our Mediator.

Reflections on Tour and Extension

Much as I have wanted to enjoy myself by being totally immersed music, friendship, fellowship and foreign culture, I have come to realise that God didn't want me to be all-jolly on this trip that I went - it was a time of refining and spiritual growth. And so, countless tears were shed, and many doubts clouded my head. I stumbled, and when I did, thank God, He used His hymns and people to encourage me to set my heart right before Him again.

There was a point of time during the trip I felt unappreciated and bullied, and that got me doubting the friendship and equality in the community I was in especially during this trip. I wouldn't say that this community is thus nasty - i felt discouraged because I took the criticisms to heart, negating the constructive intention that the critics usually had. Neither would I say too, that this community is actually perfect. As with human nature, we are flawed. But the response that I should have is to recognise these flaws and do my part in changing those that can be alleviated, while accepting those that are immutable because the power of change is beyond my reach. At the end of it all, I can still thank God for the peace, joy and growth that I have gained for Him having given me the vocation of being a chorister of an established group. My experiences in this choir is part of life on this earth, isn't it? That we should persevere while on earth, seeking to glorify God and please Him in what we do (I Corinthians 10:31).

And so I stumbled because I forgot that my ability to sing was from God, perhaps in a more literal sense in my case. I only started singing (of course, you don't count the singing that one does during worship) at a much later stage than most other alumni - when I joined the choir in 2005. Yet God answered my prayer for the gift of singing, giving me the courage to learn difficult pieces even though I was notes-illiterate. So who do I sing for? I got caught up with taking things people said personally, and it boiled down to being self-centred, which is dangerously easy because of the conspicuous, performant nature of singing. I forgot that God always listens, and always looks at my heart, if I'm singing sincerely without conceit, jealousy or self-degradation.

There was another time I stumbled, because I did not trust my close friends enough, and did not empathise with them so much as to understand that they can act differently when in uncomfortable circumstance. I was lacerated inside out, whether to the person's consciousness or oblivion, and the worst thing to do is to respond with self-pity or with anger and jealousy. Lo and behold, I chose that worst thing to do, my heart stolen by the devil away from God yet again. I couldn't stand under this trial to love people who suddenly interacted with me in a way that was frustratingly ambiguous, it became a thorough temptation for me that totally marred my trip. It isn't a pleasant thing at all to recount the specific experiences and things I witnessed even now, but far greater than the sorrow and hopelessness I felt is God's mercy and love. How true it is that God is faithful and did not let me be tempted beyond what I could bear. He provided a way out so that I could stand up under it (from my favourite verse, I Corinthians 10:13) - and this is why I can recount all these and give thanks to Him.

Indeed, 'we do not have a a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.' (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Just when I need Him, He is my all,
Answering when upon Him I call;
Tenderly watching lest I should fall,
Just when I need Him most.
From Just When I Need Him Most, William C Poole (1907)

Here I also want to thank Caleb, Jing Hui, Jing Ping, Krystal and Chin Yuan for soothing my wounds, helping me put aside my sadness when I shouldn't show it, lending me a listening ear, praying with and for me, and pointing to our Heavenly Father whom I had turned my eyes away from when I stumbled. Thank you.