Manna and God, part 2

Continued from yesterday

For the Israelites, God made his presence obvious. Hear verses 16-18

16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Collect as much of it as each of you can eat, one omer (o-mer – about 2 quarts) per person. You may collect for the number of people in your household.’” 17 The Israelites did as Moses said, some collecting more, some less. 18 But when they measured it out by the omer, the ones who had collected more had nothing left over, and the ones who had collected less had no shortage. Everyone collected just as much as they could eat.

They were told to only collect what they could eat in that one day.  When they tried to keep the leftovers until the next day, the manna would be spoiled by worms.  On the day before the Sabbath, they were told to collect enough for two days so that they could rest on the seventh day.

My study Bible says that manna is a pun.  When the Israelites say it, they said, "What is it?" -- Man (What) hu (is it)?  Man hu  You can hear the name of the food.

How often do we look at God's providence - God's manna -- and say, "What is it?"  I think there are times we don't even recognize it.  I would propose another level to the pun -- Man says huh?

Manna was to teach the Israelites to rely on God – to trust that God was with them.  To see the world with eyes of abundance instead of scarcity.  Even the command to collect double on the day before the Sabbath and to "rest" on the Sabbath, is another way to teach them to trust God.  God is in the room – open your eyes so that you can see.

I wonder if the disciples looked at the baskets of leftovers after feeding 5000 men, and more women, and more children, from 2 loaves and 5 fish, if they said Huh?  

God is with us.  Manna will come. We can feed more than we even imagined and there will be leftovers.   Let’s not say "Huh?" but instead, remember that God is in the room, and trust and obey.

I know that we come this morning with worries and problems on our minds. Let’s begin the day together in prayer.  I’m going to start a prayer, and then give you an opportunity to silently lift to God what weighs on your heart – the room in your mind that you might not have invited God into yet.  I’ll give you a full minute – I know it will feel like a day, but just pray, and remember that God is here.

Please pray with me…

O God of manna and bread, God of fish and quail, God of Moses, Peter, and us, Open our eyes to see you with us. Remind us that you are in the room, in our lives, in the very midst of our problems.

Hear our prayers today as we lift them to you from our hearts.  (wait one minute)

Loving God, forgive us when we don’t see you, don’t remember you, don’t seek you. Change our thoughts of scarcity into the reality of abundance so that we may serve you more, and become your stewards of the gifts you provide. In your son’s name we pray, Amen.