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Readings: Exodus 16 + Deuteronomy 8:10-18 + John 6:25-51
Likely, many of you have heard the story of God providing the Israelites with manna in the desert.
The Israelites hadn’t been out of Egypt very long; only a month had passed since their departure (Ex 12:18, 16:1).
The people, watching their supplies dwindle, began to complain about Moses and Aaron. They feared they would starve in the desert.
The Lord heard their grumbling and told Moses he would send them manna (Ex 16:4-5).
Nowadays, most of the Western world doesn’t rely on God to meet our basic needs.
If we’re sick, we see a doctor or go to the pharmacy for some medication.
If our food supply is low, we stop by the grocery store on our way home.
If we’re feeling bored or lonely, we find solace in social media or other entertainment.
Many of us have safe places to sleep, and we have systems in place to help those who need assistance in meeting their basic needs.
God is often an afterthought in our daily lives, instead of the heartbeat and focus.
When things are going well, we’re quick to praise our hard work and thank God for our blessings. And when things turn south, we turn inward, looking to ourselves and our environment for ways to lessen our struggle and end our discontent.
Maybe I’m the only one, but I’ll admit God isn’t usually the first place I turn when things are hard. Instead, I think, “What can I change? What am I doing wrong? Where can I work harder?”
But what if God brings us to a place of waiting so we press into him?
Upon leaving Egypt, the Israelites sing praises to God (Ex 15). Of course, they were glad to be free of slavery. Maybe they even marched out of Egypt bright-eyed with the promise of a new life in a new land.
But only a month into their journey, things got real. Food ran low, tensions ran high, and it wasn’t long before people were pointing fingers at Moses and Aaron. They remembered their time in Egypt fondly, a time of full bellies, and forgot the struggles and horrors of slavery (Ex 16:3).
It doesn’t say that the people took their struggles to God. It says they grumbled against Moses and Aaron (and probably to each other). God just happened to hear them.
God stepped in and provided for his people, but he did so with specific rules. The manna that came every day wasn’t a free for all. Each person only collected about 3 pounds each – any more that was stored away would quickly rot, becoming inedible (Ex 16:16 + 19-20).
God used the manna to see if the Israelites would follow his commands (Ex 15:26). After all, he knew human nature – he created it – and he knew humans often followed their own desires.
In his mercy, using knowledge only he possesses, God brought the Israelites to a place of need so they would learn to rely on him. There was nothing the Israelites could do to produce the manna or to stop it.
God’s provision kept the community alive for 40 years (Ex 16:35). There were likely people born in the desert who ate manna for most of their lives.
Forty years is a long time to wait.
Maybe there came a time when the manna didn’t feel like God’s provision. Perhaps it felt more like a routine. Wake up, collect manna, grind manna, cook manna, eat, share a story around the fire, sleep. Do it all again tomorrow.
There’s comfort in doing the same things over and over again when life is uncertain. (Did anyone besides me have a quarantine routine?)
Maybe God is also providing in the routine. God brought manna to supply the Israelites with food – a physical need. But the white flakes that coated the ground like dew also gave the Israelites a task for the day. God kept their minds busy too.
Perhaps it’s time we look at times of waiting not as a punishment or delayed gratification. God is providing for us in more ways than we know.
What if these times teach us to pay attention and stop relying on ourselves so much? What if this time of waiting brings us closer to God?
Journal Prompt: How has God provided for you in times of waiting? Are there times in your life that seemed unnecessary but, looking back, brought you to a daily reliance on God?
