Manna for the day

Photo by Rodion Kutsaev on Unsplash

“When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. … those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed.” Exodus 16:14-18.

One of the many miracles God performed for the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness was the little, unassuming substance called manna, a word coined by the Israelites that literally means, what is it? I’m intrigued by this particular provision and all that it symbolizes—not only for the people then, but also for us today.

Manna was unexpected and unfamiliar to the Israelites, but it was exactly what they needed as they traveled and camped. It was the sustenance God provided each morning, it was given in perfect rations for everyone, and it never lasted longer than the day it was provided. For tomorrow’s manna, they had to trust God again.

I think there’s relevance for us in the notion of manna. I’m learning that, like the Israelites, I can become anxious about what God is going to do or how God is going to provide for me in the days to come. But as I awake each morning, I discover once again God’s kind provision for me, just as I need it, just for that day.

Another unique characteristic of manna was its shelf life. When the Israelites tried to store up manna for the future, they found it no longer edible. Could it be that as we try to plan, hoard, or figure things out ahead of God, what we’ve planned or stored away for another time is no longer good when the time arrives?

Additionally, there are probably times when we, too, are unable to discern exactly what God’s sustenance is. It doesn’t make sense to us, or we simply don’t understand it. Like the Israelites, perhaps we look at what God has provided and ask… what is it? But then in faith, like the Israelites, as we open ourselves to receive what God has lovingly provided, we realize it to be precisely what we need.

I believe the miracle of manna was not only a literal substance but is a timeless symbol for every perfect provision God has made for us, including the one of utmost and eternal value…

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’” (Matthew 26:26).

I can’t help but wonder if the disciples, perhaps feeling uncertain as they sought to make sense of the unfamiliar and unexpected—as they grasped for understanding in that pivotal moment—in essence asked one another…

“What is it?”

The broken Body of Jesus must be received for the merciful mystery it is—the atoning sacrifice for our sin—because nothing can explain or take the place of it. It is God’s ultimate Sustenance for our lives, and as we humbly receive it, we will discover it is truly all we need. It is the daily and eternal mercy of God in our lives.

At the perfect time, God’s ultimate Provision came to be. And it’s available to us every day, through the Presence of the Risen Christ made manifest to us in the Living Spirit of God.

Yes, God has always provided exactly what we need: manna for the day.

“Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, 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 the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” John 6:32-33