The Lesson of the Manna
June 18, 2013
As we read through the Scriptures with our church this year, we have arrived in Exodus where we've begun to read about Israel's wilderness wanderings. Last night as I read about their groaning and complaining, I really related. When they cried out to God, He provided - water, quail, and bread in the form of manna.
They had trouble - like I so often have - receiving God's provisions as enough, trusting Him each day for their daily bread. Even when God provided today, some remained unsure that He would provide tomorrow. So they would "plan ahead" and "work harder" - gather enough for a day or two extra, just in case. Sounds diligent, right? Prudent even. But when our "prudence" and our "diligence" are "good" ways of lacking trust in God, they breed worms and they stink.
The lesson of the manna isn't to spurn hard work, planning ahead, diligence, and prudence. The lesson is to trust God - and when our lack of trust takes on the cloak of hard work, planning ahead, diligence, prudence, or anything else, it remains lack of trust. And that stinks.
The lesson of the manna is to trust God. Gather what He gives, use it today, and get some rest, knowing He'll provide again tomorrow. There's no need to be anxious about tomorrow. It will no doubt come with it's own troubles (Mt 6:34), and also with God's new mercies (Lam 3:22-23). So pray God give us our daily bread, and rest in His faithfulness.
my soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
so I say, “My endurance has perished;
so has my hope from the Lord.”
Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord
Lamentations 3:17-26
They had trouble - like I so often have - receiving God's provisions as enough, trusting Him each day for their daily bread. Even when God provided today, some remained unsure that He would provide tomorrow. So they would "plan ahead" and "work harder" - gather enough for a day or two extra, just in case. Sounds diligent, right? Prudent even. But when our "prudence" and our "diligence" are "good" ways of lacking trust in God, they breed worms and they stink.
The lesson of the manna isn't to spurn hard work, planning ahead, diligence, and prudence. The lesson is to trust God - and when our lack of trust takes on the cloak of hard work, planning ahead, diligence, prudence, or anything else, it remains lack of trust. And that stinks.
The lesson of the manna is to trust God. Gather what He gives, use it today, and get some rest, knowing He'll provide again tomorrow. There's no need to be anxious about tomorrow. It will no doubt come with it's own troubles (Mt 6:34), and also with God's new mercies (Lam 3:22-23). So pray God give us our daily bread, and rest in His faithfulness.
my soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
so I say, “My endurance has perished;
so has my hope from the Lord.”
Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord
Lamentations 3:17-26
