Daily Manna

 Exodus 35 talks about manna which was a (vs. 31) "It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey".  I was thinking in my mind as I read this passage a few things that really hit me. 

 The first thing is that it stated over and over that God heard their grumbling.  I thought- now that I can relate to!  I know what it means to have escaped the slavery of sin and yet I still grumble.  I may not like the way my child is behaving, or the fact that I didn't get something I wanted, or maybe I want my own heart to change quickly and I feel like I am at war within myself.

But in this passage it says God heard their grumbling.  He didn't condemn them or tell them to shut up.  He heard them and took action.  What a mighty God to think that He hears us even in our grumbling.  In our "sour" attitudes He still listens.  Even when we continue to sin God loves us where we are.

Side note:  Maybe he gave them a sweet bread so it would sweeten their attitudes ;). 

 They could gather only enough for the day.  No more and no less.  God provided their "daily" needs.  He didn't say gather enough for the year or for a month, but only a day.  If they did try to gather more- by morning it was filled with maggots.  Sounds yummy.  The only exception was the day before Sabbath they were to gather twice as much so that they didn't have to work on the Sabbath.

Another thing to note is that everyone had to same amount.  It was equal (vs.16-18) "This is what the Lord has commanded:'Everyone is to gather as much as they need.  Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.'"  The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little.  And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much and the one who gathered little did not have too little.  Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed."

It blows my mind that God created a specific bread for them to eat that "just appeared" every morning and then melted away when the noon sun came up.  It is crazy!

The other crazy part is that they ate this manna for 40 years!  Now we just got done fasting with our church family and I admit I grumbled sometimes to myself thinking....man that would sure be great right now.  I wish I could.  Then I would try to refresh myself with prayer and asking God to be my everything.  To fill the "voids" I think I have in my life.

The Isrealites ate manna for 40 years!  Now it may have been great, but that is pretty ummm.....repetitive.  I know because of the other circumstances of not thinking they could take the promised land that they were kind of stuck in the desert for that time.  However it really was a time of refining.  Refining of the people God had chosen.  They had to learn to trust God with everything. 

So in this year of healing I am thinking of refining.  Refining who God wants me to be.  What is His desire for me?  It isn't something I can do, but rather something I can get only from Him daily.  I can't take it on myself, or try to do it all on my own because like the manna it is provided by Him and I can only do today what God has directed.  I can't create days, hours, or even seconds.....I can only live by His sweet provision for today and do my best.