Continuing with our theme of ASK / ACT, asking God to do what only he can do, while taking the actions that he wants us to take, I can’t pass Exodus 16 without thinking of a little pamphlet written years ago by Stephen Olford: Manna in the Morning. It seems to be out of print now, but he was comparing the manna of Exodus 16 to our daily time with God.

I have since read other authors who argue that it’s not the best analogy since manna was temporary and after a while, the Israelites didn’t even like it (see Numbers 11.4 – 8). But Jesus, the living Word of God, compared the manna to himself as the Bread of Life:

I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. (John 6.48, 49, ESV)

So what are the lessons from Exodus 16? They are simple:

The people asked for food (actually they grumbled about not having food!), and God provided. But God didn’t put it into their mouths – they had to go out and gather it:

And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day…” Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. (Exodus 16.2 – 4, 21 ESV)

A day’s portion every day, gathered early before it melted. Pretty simple. The analogy to our daily time with God is obvious. The Word is here. Anyone in the US can have a copy in the translation of their choice. But God won’t pour it into our brains and hearts. We have to:

• Get up and read it.
• Get up and read it early.
• Get up and read it every day.
• Put what we read into practice. (Gathering manna wasn’t enough – the Israelites actually had to make meals out of it and eat it!)

But [Jesus] answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4.4, ESV)

Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD. (Proverbs 8.34, 35, ESV)

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up. (Psalm 5.3, NKJV)