Manna Moments

Have you ever tried to gather up God’s grace and stockpile it for some unforeseen event that may never happen?   I’m pretty sure that’s a regular occurrence for me and it usually stems from worry and anxiety.   My heart isn’t focused on living in the moment; it’s living in a future that may not materialize.   Instead of paying attention to the goodness God has provided for today, I get lost in what might happen – tangled up in all the “what ifs” of that.   Cue the mind spiral.  

As I pondered this, I thought about the Israelites and the gathering of the manna.   They were given very specific instructions regarding the collection of manna.  

Exodus 16:4

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.

But guess what?   Like me, some of them were also living in the future and worried about tomorrow.   They weren’t sure God would provide again, so what did they do?   They gathered too much and left it overnight, despite being told not to do that.   In doing so, they revealed the same root problem we often have: not fully trusting that God will do what He said He will do.

 The root problem: not fully trusting that God will do what He said He will do.

Exodus 16:19-20

Moses said to them, “No one is to leave any of it until morning.” But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank; and Moses was angry with them.

As we've seen, the Israelites were told to gather up only enough manna for that day.   The hoarding led to rot and worms.   And look at what happens to us.   When we cling to the worries of tomorrow, our thoughts begin to rot – decaying into anxiety and fear.   Instead, of resting in God’s daily provision, we try to store up enough grace to manage every possible outcome.   But grace doesn’t work that way.   We don’t receive a lifetime supply of grace at birth and then have to ration it out over the course of our lives.   God’s grace is fresh every morning – like manna. 

When we cling to the worries of tomorrow, our thoughts begin to rot – decaying into anxiety and fear. 

Exodus 16:22–23

Now on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, then he said to them, “This is what the Lord meant: Tomorrow is a Sabbath observance, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.”

Now catch this..even manna gathering had rest built into it by God.   He wanted His people to trust that they wouldn’t lack when they ceased from striving.   Living in the moment means we embrace that same trust – believing that when we rest from worry, God’s provision will still meet us there.  When we live in the present we are spiritually “gathering manna”.   Tomorrow’s grace (manna) will come with a new day, but today’s portion is enough, because God is always near, always generous and always faithful to His word.   

Tomorrow’s grace (manna) will come with a new day, but today’s portion is enough

So today, I encourage you to release your grip on the future and gather the grace that God has given you for this moment.   It is enough. 

THINK ABOUT IT

What “manna” has God provided for you today that you might be overlooking while worrying about tomorrow?

How does anxiety about the future reveal what you believe about God’s character and His provision?