If you are reading this, chances are you have had days when you didn’t think you were going to survive – be it physically, emotionally or spiritually. As the Israelites journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land, they had to depend on God on a daily basis. We can learn some lessons from them in walking daily with Him.
Embrace the Journey
After a few weeks of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites were growing restless – and hungry. Exodus 16:3 gives an account of their complaint:
And the sons of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
Paraphrased: They would rather be back in their oppression than to be hungry in the wilderness.
How often do we wish we were back in the darkness from which God has delivered us when things are not going very well in our current state? If you are walking with God, He has you exactly where He wants you. Remember the depths from which He delivered you. Don’t let the impatience of waiting for God’s provision throw you back where the enemy wants you to stay.
Gather Your Sustenance
The next verse, Exodus 16:4, tells us how God handled this situation:
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, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in my instruction.”
Notice that God didn’t say He would have this bread delivered straight to their tents. He said, “The people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day.”
Like the Israelites, we must go out and gather our daily bread – straight from the Word of God. When hard times come, we can greatly benefit from the foundation laid in our hearts by spending time in the Bible and praying daily.
We will not have the spiritual maturity necessary to weather life’s storms successfully by sitting in our “tents” and hoping that we will somehow make it through this difficult season. God gives us the choice to go out and gather what He feeds us. It behooves us to feast on the Bread of Life – Jesus Christ – daily.
Take It Day by Day
Read Exodus 16:19-20, when Moses instructs his people:
And Moses said to them, “Let no man 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 became foul; and Moses was angry with them.
The Israelites had to depend on God every day, and so must we. Many of us try to store up our spirituality. Sometimes we wrongly assume that Sunday’s sermon will last throughout the week. Or that the amazing conference will last us through the month. Perhaps we think that if God has personally taught us a powerful lesson, that we no longer need to revisit it.
Yes, Christ came to seek and save the lost, but He also came so that we could live an abundant life. A daily relationship with Christ brings new mercies, and fresh sustenance.
John 6: 32-35:
Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.
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