Day 2 - Bread from heaven

Read: Exodus 16

THEMETo live life well we need to know that God is watching over us and engaging with us, especially when times are tough.


It is hard to believe that, within a few weeks of leaving Egypt, the children of Israel wanted to go back. It was, of course, a short-sighted delusion, but hunger can make even logical thinkers confused. And they were so famished that dreams of cooking pots and visions of fresh bread warped even their memories of slavery.

God’s generosity in providing manna – as fine as frost on the ground and as sweet as honey to the taste – was only part of His miraculous intervention. The fact that the children of Israel were gracious enough to share out their daily collections, and then benefitted by not having to gather it on the Sabbath, were miracles too.

More remarkable still was the fact that God continued to supply manna afresh, six days a week, while they wandered for forty years in rebellion. No wonder Moses told Aaron to place a jar of manna in the Ark of the Covenant, alongside the two stone tablets of the law. It was a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness.

Years later, Jesus spoke of Himself as being God’s daily provision for our spiritual hunger. Yet ever since there have been those who have ignored His provision and conjured up false pictures of supposed plenty, hiding the reality of their spiritual hunger.

Let us be truly grateful for the true provision that he supplies from heaven.