Christian

Did You Gather Your Manna Today?

Cindy Dawson

“Manna from Heaven” has become an idiom of the English language. It means “An unexpected benefit or assistance, especially when it comes at the time when it is needed most.” For example, “Unable to pay my bills, the stimulus check was like manna from Heaven.”

God’s Word is our “Manna from Heaven”.

Manna sounds like the Hebrew for “What is it?” The Israelites saw the manna but didn’t know what it was. Apparently they had never seen anything like it before. The Scripture describes it like this:

“Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium.  The people would go about and gather it and grind it between two millstones or beat it in the mortar, and boil it in the pot and make cakes with it; and its taste was as the taste of cakes baked with oil. When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.” Numbers 11:7-9 NASB

“The house of Israel named it manna, and … its taste was like wafers with honey.” Exodus 16:31 NASB

The manna may have looked something like this.

As I read these passages, I thought about how God provided what they needed to eat, but they had to do something with it first. They had to prepare it. I always thought of manna as being loaves of bread on the ground floating down from Heaven. But in reality, they had to take the manna and grind it, and then cook it in a pot or bake cakes with it.

How does this apply to our lives today?

God has given us His Word and that Word is the bread of life because Jesus and the Word are one. This means that although God has given me His Word (the Bible), I have a responsibility to take it and do something with it.

I must read and study it daily. It is my “daily bread”. The Holy Spirit will speak to us daily through the Word. How many times have the verses we read in our daily devotion infused us with strength and encouragement?

If we leave our Bible on the shelf, we leave our daily bread on the shelf. What a tragedy to leave the manna on the wilderness floor when it’s what we need to sustain us!

“Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.” John 6:35 NASB

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 NASB 

From John 1:1, we know that Jesus is the Word. Jesus also declared that He was the bread of life.

There are many lessons that can be derived from the provision of manna. To me, the most important one is that God’s Word is our daily bread. Jesus taught us to pray,

“Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)

How can we receive our daily bread (sustenance) if we are not in the Word? Do we grumble and complain, as the Israelites did, tired of the manna and wanting something else? God’s Word is our guide. It will sustain us in every situation.

The Psalmist wrote,

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Psalm 119:18 KJV

“I meditate on your precepts
    and consider your ways.
 I delight in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word.” Psalm 119:15-16 NIV

Did you gather your manna today?

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?

Featured Image Photo by Louis Hansel @shotsoflouis on Unsplash

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25 thoughts on “Did You Gather Your Manna Today?”

  1. What stood out to me was – God provided what they needed to eat, but they had to do something with it first. They had to prepare it, they had to take the manna and grind it, and then cook it in a pot or bake cakes with it.
    Similarly we have to pick up our bible and spend time in the word.
    I love how you tied in those three verses that Jesus is the word, he is the bread of life and give us this day our daily bread.
    Thanks for sharing this Cindy 😊💙.

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  2. Cindy this is a very beautiful post and very pertinent today and everyday. I often wonder how I managed in the past when I wasn’t in Him and His Word. He provides all we ever need at the right time, all praise and glory to Jehovah Jireh!

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  3. Yes, yes, yes!! This is great, Cindy! I love opening my Bible and seeing what God has for me on that day. It’s like a treasure hunt, full of amazing surprises that I need for that day – and always. I love how you describe the importance of staying in the Word. Thank you! Have a wonderful weekend, Cindy!

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    2. Patty I love your comment! Your description of devotional Bible reading as a “treasure hunt” is absolutely accurate and brilliant.

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  6. Praise God and thank you, Cindy for highlighting this manna message today and for pointing us (as always) in the way of The Word. I’m going to pick up my Bible right now.

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