...and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16 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.’”
...Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.
...The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’”
So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come.” ( Exodus Chapter 16 )
I was prompted to write this post after reading a blog post from a friend who is emerging from the pit of a horrendous trial, and while listening to a phone call between our daughter and my husband this morning. For those who don't know, Jordan and her husband Ryan are following the Lord's leading and are moving this fall to serve Him in the Philippines. Long term. No round trip tickets.
With time drawing closer to their departure date, she called this morning with concerns about the funds needed to make the trip and to sustain them while they are gone. They know they are following God's call on their young lives, yet, even with faith comes the expected trepidation and questioning: "What if the money we've raised isn't enough?, What if we have an emergency and need to get back home?"
I was listening to Jeff's end of the conversation, which was reassuring her that God would most certainly provide for their needs. It is natural to worry to some extent, but God has this all worked out. He told her something that really struck me in the moment. He reminded her that God is a "daily bread kind of God". He gives us what we need, and when the time comes for their journey, the provision will be made. WE may not think it's enough, but all we have to do is to trust that He will not let us go without what we need. He began to tell her of some of the stories from our distant past when our faith was being tested and built. Of the time when she was about 3 years old and we were broke and had no food in the pantry. We didn't know how we were going to eat until payday. That evening we went out and there were 2 bags of groceries on our porch. To this day we don't know who put it there.
Manna in the jar.
Another time, about a year later, again, we were struggling to make ends meet, and one day there was a manila envelope in our POST OFFICE BOX with just our name on it. Inside was an unsigned note and a $100 bill.
Manna in the jar.
And I could go on with more stories. I remember a time when we had enough gas for me to get to work at the school where I was working, but had no idea how I would get home because the tank was below "E". That day on my desk in my office was an envelope with a note in a child's handwriting: "Mrs. Self, you are a blessing.", and a $20 bill. Gas money that was provided when I didn't have a single dollar to put in the gas tank. I don't know what child it came from. But there were tears that day, and
Manna in the jar.
Thinking back through all these "daily bread" experiences brought to mind when my mother told me of those times when I was little that they had struggled. I remember a story she told me of when they had no money and wondered how they would feed the family. Someone came to the house and bought a roll of wire my dad had for $10. With that money, she bought a bag of beans and we had supper. I have not forgotten that story. And it was
Manna in the jar.
We have been provided for in lean times when we only had enough "daily bread" for THAT day. No more and no less. Just like the Hebrews in the desert. And now we have manna in our own jar to show future generations how God supplied our needs. We have our stories to tell of His faithfulness. Proof that we are not forgotten even when we don't know how it will be possible for things to work out.
Jesus even reminded the disciples, and us, of this concept when He modeled the prayer for us to ask for our daily bread. A reference to the manna that fell each morning with the dew on the ground, and melted away when the sun came out and burned it off. When the Israelites stored up more than they needed He knew it would cause them to lose focus on the source of their provision. Therefore, he would cause the excess to rot and be eaten by maggots. And there they were the next morning, right back where they started: With nothing.
So a lot of reminders came to me this morning with that phone call. Hopefully, in years to come, Jordan and Ryan will have their own stories to tell their children and grandchildren of how God sustained them. Their legacy will be added to a jar full of the history of His faithfulness to our family.
Surely we all have our own stories of how God has preserved us both physically and spiritually. In times of financial need, and even in times of crises of faith when we didn't' know if we would survive our time of desperation. I still pull from my collection of memories when I start to worry about our own future and ask those questions during times of uncertainty about the forthcoming days, "Will there be enough?" Throughout our lives He has proved time and time again that He is indeed Jehovah Jirah, the Lord who provides. Who provides hope when it seems there is no hope. Who provides gas in our empty tank. He will continue to be so in the days and years ahead. My worries are needless. My God goes "beyond, beyond". His Word is true. My manna jar is full, and it is all the assurance that I need.
