Manna in Exodus

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heave for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.”
-Exodus 16:4


For those of us who have already come out of the bondage of Egypt, there is only the final exodus standing between us and our Canaan. We all know the story of Pharaoh, the Israelites, the Ten Plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. But how many of us really focus on the Exodus?

This people are the nation that God told Abraham would come from his loins. There is not a doubt in my mind that God could have marched Moses and the rest of them right on into the Promised Land without spending longer than necessary in the deserts. However, God knows our nature even better than we do sometimes. Before the rebellions, before the fear, before the real whining started, God said this – “I will give you enough for one day at a time to see if you will do what I say, to see how much you trust me.”

We often remind ourselves and those around us that God is not some genie in a bottle to come at our beck and call, granting us the desires of our heart in all of their sordid shades. It seems that so much of it started with the Israelites themselves. They cried out to God from their bondage, crying for freedom, and obviously expecting to fall into the lap of luxury. It wouldn’t surprise me if some of them were hoping that the Egyptians would be forced to play the role of the slave, God turning the tables to place them on top and their oppressors in the position they had suffered in for generations.

But that is not the God we serve. He always has and always will desire a real relationship with His people. And you know that genuine affections, trust and love cannot be bought. The Exodus was more than a group of rebellious people that wouldn’t listen to their God; Exodus is a story about that same God proving Himself to be Who He said He was, bit by bit and day by day. He had already proven that He could work mighty miracles on their behalf, but a strong man who can win a fight is not necessarily a compassionate man or a generous provider.

Every relationship with God starts with small acts, baby steps of Faith as it works to stretch its newly developing muscles and finally stand on its own two feet without anyone or anything else to hold on to. That is how Faith must develop, and we learn to trust and to love God in our own time by seeing Him work in our lives or the lives of others. If God carried us through every battle and ever storm that came out way, how would we ever get stronger? Not strong in the sense that we no longer need Him, but strong in the sense that we can know fight our battles with Him, taking our rightful place in Christ. For we are the righteous, and there is no other way we can walk successfully unless it is by Faith.
Therefore, after freedom from Egypt, we must fight in every area of our life to reach that place of abundance which we have been promised. For Christ came that we might live life, and live it more abundantly. That abundance is meant to permeate through every aspect of our lives. We are meant to be abundant in love, in time, in patience, in beauty, in talent, in generosity, in thankfulness, in kindness, in laughter, in joy, in strength…not just in wealth. But each area of our life, every miniscule that is to reach that place of abundance must first go through the desert and be brought under the loving and guiding wing of God. How long each aspect of our life takes to get to that place all depends on two things. First, how much bondage it experienced in Egypt; and second, how much of it we give over to God. The parts of our lives that were most enslaved to our flesh can take the longest to cross over the Jordan unless we are willing to completely submit them to God to deal with. Even if we struggle with that trust and belief, that does not keep God from being who He is. He will meet us right where we are, taking what little trust we do have and turning it into a miracle, bread that is just enough for the moment we are in right now.

The Israelites as they were at this point would not have taken Jericho. They feared a normal fight with the giants of the lands. How would they have reacted to the simple order to march around this massive fortress that was all but impenetrable? Exodus is not a punishment, but a necessity. It is in this place of dryness and lack where the rebellion and doubt dies off. It is this time of wandering where God spends time with us and builds those much needed bonds of trust, faith and love. So, beloved, whatever part of your life is in Exodus right now, fear not. You are right where you need to be. You may not be ready for Jericho right now, but today, God gives you the bread of heaven for your spirit. It is what you do with the little that shows God that you are ready for the much.