They all ate and were satisfied. Luke 917 these days, eating out is nearly a way of life for a lot of people. Stop and think for a moment. When was the last time you and your family ate out? How many times did you do so this last week? Don't be embarrassed by your answer. According to the research done by the American Council of Science and Health in the fall of 2018, one out of every three Americans eat out on any given day of the week. Since so many people eat out each day, it is inevitable that some of them will get sick. The Centers for Disease Control reports over 76 million cases of foodborne illness in the United States each year. Of those who get sick from the food they eat at a restaurant, 325,000 end up in the hospital and approximately 5000 end up dead. Now, the risk of contracting serious health problems from restaurant meal is quite low, provided that health and safety cautions are taken seriously by food industry employees and customers. However, since many food related illnesses often go unreported, a lot of healthcare professionals suspect that the risk might be a little higher than we think. Im not suggesting that we give up eating out or that we ban potluck dinners at church. Man may not live by bread alone, but man cant live at all unless he has something to eat. After all, eating with family and friends, whether at a restaurant, a picnic, or at someones home, is an excellent way to build relationships. That would never happen without such meals. And have you ever stopped to realize how many of the lessons Jesus taught and how many of the miracles Jesus performed took place in the setting of some sort of meal? Sharing a meal around the table is satisfying for a lot of reasons. The people factor being high up on the list. Most people have heard the old line that boldly states that the family that prays together stays together. I suspect the same could be said of eating together. It's hard for friendships not to grow when we are sitting around a table and swapping stories while eating good food and good friends just go together. When was the last time you got together for a meal with a neighbor or that new family and church? Doing so is a good habit, you know, and it could lead to friendships that last a lifetime. So if it has been a while, why not take the initiative and make plans to invite someone to share a meal with you this week?

Music this has been your thought for the day with Steve Burkham, pastor of Community Christian Church in Stockton, California. If you have questions or comments for Pastor Steve, please send them to dailythoughtspodcastmail.com dot have a great day, and we hope youll join us tomorrow as Pastor Steve opens gods word to bring us another thought for the day.