manna - god’s faithfulness (part one)
Recently, during a particularly challenging season in my own life, the voice of a college campus pastor of mine came to mind; “Paul, remember manna!” He was reminding me of a sermon he preached, and a book that he wrote called; Manna and Mercy. It’s a book about the God of the bible who is present and active in human history and in our lives today.
More specifically, it reminded me of Exodus chapter 16 and the nation of Israel headed into the wilderness after their miraculous crossing of the Red Sea and the defeat of Pharaoh and his army. It’s worth reading if you’re not familiar with the story – check it out!
Exodus chapter 16 tells the story of God’s provision of manna for the Nation of Israel, bread from heaven that would sustain them as they wandered the wilderness for 40 years. Each morning there was a layer of dew around the camp, when the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared. They were instructed to gather as much as was needed for one day – no one was to keep any until morning. Some didn’t follow directions and kept part of what they’d gathered until morning, only to find it spoiled and full of maggots!
On the 6th day of the week they were instructed to gather twice as much – allowing them to have food prepared for the 7th day of the week, the Sabbath – because there would be no manna on the ground on the 7th day of the week. Again, some didn’t follow directions and went out on the morning of the 7th day but they found nothing.
Of the many lessons God was teaching his covenant people, none was more important than that of trust. Could they trust God to be faithful to his promise to provide what they needed? Could they trust God to be faithful to his promise to provide what they needed; one day at a time?
Joshua 5:1-12 records an important event. “On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.”
One day at a time for 40 years. That’s 14,600 days. One day at a time developing the muscle of faith, trust and obedience. Day by day faithfulness. Trusting in God’s daily provision. Trusting that it will be enough, for 40 years. And it was!
Lamentations chapter 3 verses 22-24 come to mind. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’”
It’s a portion of Scripture that inspired the hymn; Great is Thy Faithfulness (one that I encourage you to add to your Spotify worship as a weapon playlist!). The chorus of the hymn says; “Great is they faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed thy hand hast provided; great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.” I would hum or sing that chorus each day as I walked into work, during that challenging season I mentioned earlier, as a simple reminder of the truth, and the promise I was holding on to!
It’s a lesson we all need to learn. As of typing I’m well over 19,000 days into my own trust walk with the Lord. Day by day faithfulness. Trusting in God’s daily provision in my life – giving me what I need, not what I want – trusting that it will be enough to see me through – one day at a time. Great is thy faithfulness. Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed, God you have provided – day by day, one day at a time, and it’s enough!
But even manna was just a foretaste of the feast to come. Manna, bread from heaven, pointed to the living bread that would be sent from heaven, the bread of life! More on that next week in Part Two of my “Manna – God’s faithfulness” post.
Until then, I invite you to adopt a “manna-mode,” or a “manna-mindset” way of living; day by day, one day at a time. Day by day, trusting in God’s daily provision in your life. Day by day, trusting God will provide what you need, each day – and it will be enough. Not because I say so, but because that’s God’s promise, and the one who promises is faithful!
I’ll see you, down the road.
