Exodus 16, John 6

Exodus 16, John 6
Manna

(Last Fast Blog)

One of my sweet friends has been talking about manna lately, and I love it. There is so much in our day-to-day lives that we could refer to as manna. I guess if someone asked me to describe what I've gotten from my 28 day fast in one word, it would be manna! Just in case you've never made the connection, let me review a few things for you.

Manna is the wafer-like food God gave the Israelites when they were delivered from Egypt. Basically, a honey-flavored, slightly crunchy carbohydrate—Yum! It appeared every morning outside their tents with the dew, and everyone always had just enough for their family. They weren’t supposed to take more than one day’s worth. Of course some didn’t listen, took extra, and the next day it was smelly and covered in maggots. Exodus 16:35 says, “The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.” (The Promised Land)

Isn’t that cool? For forty years they didn’t have to meal plan or go to the grocery store. No pressure being creative in cooking—there was only one choice! What’s for dinner honey? Manna, dear.

Now here is the great connection. In John 6, Jesus feeds the five thousand from two fish and five loaves of what? bread. Then the next day they follow him around a lake and seem interested in him. He says you are only concerned with me because I filled your tummies! Go after something lasting—me! Then they totally set him up by asking, “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” (John 6:30-31)

Then Jesus makes this great link, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. . . I am the bread of life.”

Isn’t that awesome! For forty years, the Israelites just thought God was feeding them, but he was doing much more than that. He was giving them an object lesson. He was foreshadowing Jesus.

That is why I would say, God has given me manna over the last month. God’s word, his promises, his truth, his comfort, his counsel is always right outside our tents. His word is available every day. Our only job is to gather it up! So getting up an hour early to gather my manna has been nothing less than satisfying!

My plan is to keep gathering manna, every day. I really can’t survive without it! I might even blog every now and then—I just can’t help but share when I get a tasty bite of crisp, honey wafers. But to any of you that helped hold me accountable to this fast, I want to say thank you!!!!! If you read everyday, one day or no days, I’m very thankful for you as a sister in Christ. And my prayer for each of you is that you (and I) always wake-up hungry for our daily manna!

Thank you also to the Bread of Life who satisfies me like thing else on this earth!