Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

26 July 2025

Reading From Acts 27:27-44

“After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. Altogether there were 276 of us on board. When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.”—Acts 27:35-38

Many followers of Jesus have gotten out of the habit of thanking God for their food before they eat a meal. It’s a great habit that weaves gratitude and a connection to Him into our daily lives. Notice how when Paul did this in the midst of the storm, the other travelers and crew were uplifted.

The simple but meaningful act of thanking God and eating together is powerful on multiple levels. It incorporates the vertical orientation of our faith in connecting with the Lord and the horizontal orientation of our faith by enjoying fellowship with others. This daily communion should not be neglected. It promotes the wellbeing of body, mind, soul and spirit.

Thanking Him and breaking bread tends to both the spiritual and temporal aspects of our lives. Jesus should be the Lord of our entire lives and not relegated to some imagined spiritual or religious compartment. He is Lord of all, in all, and through all. Let our gratitude be genuine and expressed often.

“Lord Jesus, please open our eyes to even the smallest of opportunities to acknowledge You, Your Presence and Provision in our every day lives. Who You are and all that You do for us is extraordinary. You deserve all honor and glory. We thank You for the breath in our lungs, the food in our bellies, the clothing on our backs and the roofs over our heads. We pray for those less fortunate than us and we ask You to show us ways we can help them. It is in the Name of Jesus the Christ that I pray these things. Amen.”

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

—Proverbs 3:5-6