
What's the Manna?
Salisbury Post- January 6, 2018
Hungry? That seems to be a recurring theme for all. Hunger can create
crankiness, irritability, short tempers, and stomach growls. This has been
proven scientifically, as well as by me personally.
Moses was leading two million Israelites out of Egypt to head to the Promised
Land. Constant complaining about being hungry began to become a problem.
Food is really important. And… traveling with that many people, combined
with the hunger factor, could certainly promote complaining.
One morning, as the Israelites began to be awakened by their growling
stomachs, they opened their tent doors and there it was - MANNA.
“What’s the manna?” they said. Moses answered them, “This is the bread
which the Lord gave you to eat.”
They gathered the fresh white pearl sized grains, to which God had added
some sweet honey flavor.
And…so began their daily preparation of manna bread, manna casseroles,
manna pies, manna everything. It was manna here, manna there, manna,
manna everywhere.
But…they quickly discovered it was only sufficient for that day, and the
leftovers began to stink.
So day after day, they opened up their tent doors and there it was again - a
fresh supply.
Hmm….. but they soon began to look to the past and remembered that their
food choices back in Egypt had been fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onion,
and garlic - not just manna. Apparently, instead of grabbing bowls and
spoons to happily catch the manna God sent daily, it sounds as if they were
beginning to put up umbrellas in order to avoid the manna.
Can you believe it? Those complaining Israelites!
God heard them. He was displeased. He was even angry. BUT… He blessed
them anyway, by adding some quail to their daily menu. They still
complained.
We wouldn’t do that, would we?
Of course we would.
What’s the manna with us?