What is It?

“And the house of Israel called its name Manna.” Exodus 16:31

Like I’ve always heard, ‘Context is everything!’ So, to fully understand the significance of their manna we must first recall the circumstances that led to this provision from Heaven.  The children of Israel had been belly-aching and grumbling about not having the delicious food they once had in Egypt (albeit at the cost of slavery!)  They were accusing God of bringing them out into the wilderness only to have them die of hunger.  It reminds me of when my children were little, and they would caution me that if they didn’t get something to eat, they would die.  God had provided for the Israelite’s daily, but it wasn’t what they longed for.  God’s response was to send ‘bread from Heaven’ which they would gather each morning while it was still fresh.  Can you even imagine expecting grocery bags of food one morning only to find instead a wafer like covering on the ground?  That was the provision God was giving them each day.  He provided but it was up to them to come out of their tent and gather the provision.  “‘The Hebrew word for manna literally means, ‘what is it?’” Ready – Finding the Courage to Face the Unknown, Heather M Dixon, p. 164.

I couldn’t help but be amused this morning thinking about this translation.  Sometimes, our understanding of God’s provision is the very same.  We don’t even recognize when God is giving us what we need.  We long for something different, something more desirable.  I remember I was praying for work years ago when we hadn’t had any for over a year.  Through much prayer and frustration God showed me that although we didn’t like living on our home equity, we had the provision we needed.  I remember feeling like my prayers were not answered, when in fact they were just not answered in the way I desired.  Looking back, I know that God was doing some work in my heart about trust. 

Many people are going through circumstances that require them to lean on God for everything.  Each morning is met with a great hunger or need.  Whether it is financial, physical, emotional or mental God has provided everything needed to navigate through the day.  It is up to us to gather His provision each day through His word and through our fellowship with Him.  He knows what our stomach is growling for, something that the world cannot satisfy. When we shift our prayers from ‘what is it?’ to ‘thank you for it’ our trust in God will grow. 

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die…If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.” John 6:50-51.