Gather It Up

(source)

The Lord has been teaching me so much through my current bible study. I am wandering through the wilderness with

the Israelites and last week, God dropped manna from the sky. 

Not just for the Israelites either. 

Exodus 16 (read it if you can, it's so amazing to see it with new eyes!) gives us a full account of God providing food for the Israelites. Here's a quick recap: 

• The Israelites had been traveling in the desert about 2 months after God had miraculously brought them out of Egypt. (v. 1)
• The Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron (and against God) and longed to go back to Egypt. (v. 2-3)
• The Lord decides to provide for His people despite their grumbling and He gives them specific instructions. (v. 4-20)
• Quail was provided for the Israelites in the evening and manna was provided in the morning. (v. 13-16)

"Each morning everyone gathered as much [manna] as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away." - Exodus 16:21

"So they asked Him, 'What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'

Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth 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 He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' 

'Sir,' they said, 'from now on give us this bread.'

Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" - John 6:30-35

1. God provides us with Himself (HIS grace, HIS strength, HIS faithfulness, HIS everything) every single morning (just like the manna in the wilderness) despite our grumbling! 
2. God didn't provide this manna for the Israelites right at their bedside tables. They had to go out each morning and gather it up. 
3. God provided manna in the morning and if the Israelites slept in and forgot to / neglected to go and gather it, it would have melted away. (v. 21) 

Unlike the manna, God's grace and provision in our lives through Jesus Christ and the work the Holy Spirit does not melt away in the sun. I don't think that this morning thing was insignificant though. God wants to meet with us and provide for us first thing in the morning. I want to be there. Who's with me?