Manna...

If you aren't familiar with the story of the Israelites receiving manna to eat - you can read it HERE.


You have just escaped the terrible hardships of the Egyptians. You have been walking in the desert for a little over two months. Times are difficult- but the God who has just rescued you from slavery has been giving words of encouragement to the prophet who has been leading you the entire time. Even though God is continually showing His faithfulness, you still hear the complaints all around you, "If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but [God has] brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death" (Exodus 16:3). 


And the Lord "heard their grumbling". Not that I condone grumbling to get what you want from God- but I do find it very interesting that God heard the grumbling of His people and still responded. He sure is gracious! The Lord tells the people that He will rain down bread from heaven in the morning and provide meat in the evenings for the Israelites to eat. The amount of food would be just enough to get them through to the next day. 


I can imagine the first day when the Israelites went to collect the food for the day. The very meaning of "manna" is translated "What is it?" I can almost see the Israelites waking up, excited to see the bread that the Lord was going to provide, and instead just seeing this white, flaky substance. "What is it?", "This can't be correct", "The prophet did say it would be bread... right?".


The Lord did provide bread. It was sweet like honey and could be baked into cakes. It was food that was perfect for keeping up the stamina for their long days and taught them to rely on God. It was bread- but a kind much different that what the Israelites had been expecting. 


Tomorrow I start my second week of Spanish classes with a new teacher. I had heard that she was one of the more challenging instructors at the school, and so far I believe the rumors are true! I found myself having a "What is it?" moment last week. "I wanted to come here and learn Spanish, Lord- but this is not what I was expecting. You promised me bread and all I see around me is this strange substance that I don't know what to do with". 


After a week of my new class, I am realizing that this is exactly what the Lord had promised, just in a slightly different form then I had expected. The class is challenging and what I need, just as the manna was sweet and just what the Israelites needed. 


Are you coming against a difficult challenge that seems different than what was expected? Are you frustrated that what you have is not what you had been promised from the Lord? Take a closer look- maybe it is God's promise, but simply in "manna" form!

Lord, 


You are the Sustainer and the giver of life. Thank you that nothing comes into my life without first passing through Your sovereign hand. The challenges ahead of me are difficult and much different than I anticipated. But Lord, help me to accept the sweet bread You have given me today. Help me to embrace the manna that you have provided. Thank you that everyday you "rain down bread from heaven" for me. Help me to realize the provision you have rained down today. Amen.