What is it?

Exodus 16:1-36

The people of Israel were still complaining, “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt, there we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have bought us in to this wilderness to starve us all to death”. They wanted Moses and Aaron to answer for their leadership. They had no food and no protection. They did not know how they would survive any more of this journey and were afraid they would starve.

The Lord speaks to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day.” He heard the complaints of the people and had Moses tell them, “in the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the Lord you God.”

So God sent Manna from heaven.

It is described as the dried wet dew that evaporated and became a flaky substance “fine as frost”. The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. They had no idea what it was. It was literally sustenance from heaven. And when they arrived at Canaan, some 40 years later (Ex. 16:35), and could survive off of the food of the land, they ate the manna no more.

Manna makes me smile.

When I think of it, it amazes me. So many times in life we face really hard times. I am in the midst of one of them now and I often wonder how I am going to make it to the next minute, hour, day, but somehow I do. I know I am not alone. We wonder what we will do next, how we will survive this valley, when it will end. I just have to think about manna and I am reminded that when there is nothing, God will provide. Just like the Israelites, I cannot say that I draw from strength of my own, peace of my own, wisdom of my own. Because I don’t know how I am doing it, I cannot say it is anything in me. I can only say, “thank you Lord” because it can only come from Him.

Be encouraged. The Lord will provide. You may not know what it is, where it comes from or how long you will have it, but you will be sustained. The Israelites received manna every day and had just enough to last them until the Lord provided again and for those that took too little, the Lord made sure it was enough and multiplied. Everyone had just enough (Ex. 16:17). We will have what we need for as long as we need it and we will know (and be reminded) that He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides.

Amen!