Monday, August 19, 2024
Sustainability
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” Exodus 16:4-5
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35
God is so loving and gracious to His people and displayed it plainly and overwhelmingly to the Israelites by sending manna from heaven, day after day. Every day the people of Israel would wake up and realize the provision God had supplied for them by seeing it all over the ground, ready to be gathered. God provided enough for everyone to eat their fill and even more than was needed, see Exodus 16:20-21. As it says in those verses, if they chose to take extra to have for the next day it would rot. Why? Because they didn’t need to provide for tomorrow, God already knew their need and would send it again. Day after day they would go out and be reminded of God’s loving faithfulness. They would eat and be full and the manna served its physical purpose well, it sustained their lives with the nutrients and calories it needed. While this manna sustained their physical life, Jesus was necessary to come to earth and impart eternal life. The sin we carry, both by nature and by choice, means that we deserve eternal separation from God. Jesus came to earth declared and proved Himself to be the Bread of Life the world needs. In doing so, He offers us eternal life. What a gift! Reflect on this as you pray and go about your day today.
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
A Need is Met
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” Exodus 16:4-5
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35
This week we are going to set our mind and hearts on comparing the bread that God gave the Israelites in the wilderness to the Living Bread that came down for us in the form of God’s Son, Jesus. I would encourage you each day to read our verses, and if you want greater context the verses that surround our key verses as well. That said, today I want us to think about how the Old Testament, OT, manna met a temporary physical need. The people were led out of Egypt, and while they made unleavened bread, because they couldn’t wait for the bread to rise, and had livestock their stores of food were likely dwindling. They were human like all of us, and after days of walking around the joy of being set free started to fade as they fixed their eyes on the reality at hand, food was low. They couldn’t stop at a store and buy more, the numbers were too great. as this wasn’t their land, and that would takeThey couldn’t stop and plant crops, a long time to produce edible food. So they complained and grumbled about why God would lead them away from Egypt, just to kill them with hunger. God, knowing their need, sent manna from heaven to provide. This manna met a physical need temporarily, and we have record of the Israelites complaining about that too! Compare that with Jesus, the Bread of Life. While he doesn’t meet a physical need temporarily, He does meet a spiritual need eternally. How often do we take this for granted and even complain, instead of being grateful regardless of our surroundings. The God of the universe, came down personally to meet the greatest need in our lives, the need for a savior. Reflect on this as you pray and go about your day today.
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
The Time Frame
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bringT in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” Exodus 16:4-5
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35
I just keep thinking about waking up and not having to worry about what is for breakfast, lunch or supper. Just wake up, head outside and eat of the manna that God sent for you. Day after day, week after week, month after month God provided for the nation of Israel. This went on for nearly 40 years. 40 years! That’s approximately 14,600 days or 365,250 hours… that’s a long time! Can you imagine having been born when that started? God provided manna for the nation of Israel until He was able to provide them with land to grow food and to feed their cattle. Notice that once this happened God’s provision didn’t end, it just changed in how it was delivered. Jesus hasn’t changed, while manna was bestowed for nearly 40 years, Jesus has been God from eternity past until eternity future. He is the alpha and omega, and will provide for us both in our physical life now, but for eternity to come. Reflect on this as you pray and go about your day today.
Thursday, August 22, 2024
A People are Saved
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” Exodus 16:4-5
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35
In the first fifteen chapters of Exodus we see an amazing account of God leading His people out of slavery into freedom. His chosen people, the nation of Israel, were led out of captivity by their creator. God came to Moses in a burning bush to set in motion a plan of salvation and redemption, one the people of Israel would have been requesting for over 400 years. Genesis tells us that God had made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, their Patriarchs. The Scriptures say they would be a great nation, yet we find this “great nation” being oppressed by the Egyptians, so God led them out of that oppression and into the promised land. This plan unfolded for one nation, the nation of Israel. The manna sent was to the same nation, just the nation of Israel. Jesus, the Bread of Life, wasn’t just sent to one nation, Jesus was sent for the whole world, John 6:51. Anyone can eat of this bread, and by doing so find the gift of eternal life. Reflect on this as you pray and go about your day today.
Friday, August 23, 2024
Always a Cost
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall Tgo out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” Exodus 16:4-5
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35
Moses was a very interesting man. While he wrote, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the first five books of the Bible, I am sure it doesn’t hold all of Moses’ thoughts and feelings. What would it look like to have a journal of his? Maybe something like:
Month 2, Day 15 – The people just complain and complain about being hungry. Not getting anymore thank you for saving us! It’s just, “I am so hungry.” God I know you are awesome, I have seen it and been used, but maybe you can help? I would love to go buy them food but I don’t have that much, and there are numerous people!
Month 2, Day 16 – God did it again. He provided. Looks like He will be for a while. Greatest thing is, I don’t have to worry about it any more. Doesn’t cost us anything.
Cost was free for the nation of Israel, God just provided. The cost wasn’t free for eternal life, the cost for that came at a great cost, Jesus had to die. Our sin debt needed to be paid, paid in full, so Jesus came to earth and gave His life for all of humanity. We owed a debt that we could not pay, a debt that increases every day, so our creator came to earth and died to save us. Reflect on this as you pray and go about your day today.
Saturday, August 24, 2024
Grand Purpose
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” Exodus 16:4-5
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35
Gifts are given all the time. Sometimes they are more planned, like a birthday gift, other gifts are fun like a surprise gift. Gifts also come in many forms, from expensive to cheap, from elaborate to plain, from purchased to homemade and so on. Most people love gifts, especially gifts that are from the heart and satisfy us. God sent manna to the nation of Israel as a gift from Him. A daily reminder of His goodness and love for His people. Then God did something truly amazing, God sent to us the Bread of Life, Jesus, the Giver of all gifts. Manna was a gift, Jesus is not only a gift, but is a gift giver. Today let’s take time to reflect on Jesus, but let’s also take time to reflect on the gifts that He has given us. Jesus is our salvation, but He is also the giver of every gift we have in our lives. Reflect on this as you pray and go about your day today.