The Son of Man came eating and drinking but they called him a glutton and a drunk (Luke 7:34). I think they called Jesus a glutton partly because he enjoyed eating so much and the other part because they weren’t enjoying eating so much due to their frustrating fasting rites and limited mealtime company. The Pharisees had turned their food — ungracious.
Have you ever thought, “Why did God make it so that we have to sit down 2-3 (maybe 4) times a day to replenish?” One simple, primary reason is to remind us each time that we are dependent and God is gracious. Jesus created both hunger and the food that relieves hunger. As our created hunger grows, we return to a dependent state for food time and again.
Therefore, our mealtime can be called “grace-time” because the image of dependency & favor is continuously repeated. The best way to share a meal is to share both your food as grace and the One who is Grace.
We “say grace” at mealtime when we are really receiving it. Our privilege comes not just when we say grace but when we share grace.
Holy Minestrone 
I am reading A meal with Jesus right now and just read that chapter. I have always loved that God created out body to hunger for food and He created food to taste, smell and look so great. But never connected that with grace (call me slow). I am really enjoying to new and deeper insights of this book and LOVE all the facets of grace that I never saw or knew before! Grace is indeed vast and deep. a lifelong lesson. But so satisfying. how wonderful our God truly is!
good words, Heather. Thanks for sharing that. A Hebraic principle is that everything in this world is theological. Therefore, everywhere can be a classroom or lesson — even the dining table. We see that God created this, but we often enjoy it (or need it) too much to ask “why?” There’s a fantastic image of shared grace in our meals. I actually wrote this post before receiving a copy of Tim’s book. It was a nice confirmation. He really did a good job. I’d like to believe that “great minds think – with their stomachs!”