Manna

In Exodus 16, the Israelites were wandering in the desert, two and a half months after being set free from Egypt. They were grumbling and complaining against Moses and Aaron for bringing them in to a hot, dry desert without food and water. They even said they would have rather died in Egypt!

God had delivered them from slavery, performed the 10 plagues, parted the Red Sea, and kept them well thus far. Wouldn't you think they would've been able to trust God for his provision at this point?

But isn't that how we all often are? We witness God's provision one day, and grumble and stress over something being too much to handle the next day.

But the story goes on...

God heard their grumbling and spoke through Moses to tell the Israelites that He would rain down bread from Heaven and that they were to take only what they needed for that day--and no more.

In the morning, the ground was covered with dew. "When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. This is where the word "manna" came in to use. "Manna" means "what is it?"

Moses said to them, "It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.' " (vs 14-16)

Some of the Israelites listened, and only took what they needed for that day. But others hoarded and hid extra manna among their belongings. But in the morning, the extra manna had spoiled and taken a terrible smell.

There is such a valuable lesson we can take from this. God promises to give us our manna. To provide just what we need for each day. Why is it so easy for us to worry about tomorrow when God promised to provide for today? Matthew 6:34 "don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Our tomorrow will soon enough be our today.

We need to start applying a "manna perspective" in our lives. Trusting God to provide enough strength, energy, perseverance, positivity...etc for today. I wrote the word Manna by my desk as a reminder to keep the "manna perspective." Trusting God, one day at a time.