Look for the Manna

Have you ever felt like you were waiting on God but you weren’t sure when He was coming?

I have been in a waiting mode in many ways for the last several months. (Maybe it’s just been weeks, but trust me, it feels like months.) I have waited for His guidance on writing projects. I’ve actually stepped away from doing freelance for a while… a bit of a risk when freelance is often a writer’s bread and butter. But, with all I’m doing with Wives of Faith and feeling like God has wanted me to work on book projects, I have tried to listen and… wait.

But with waiting can come wondering. And sometimes wandering if you aren’t careful. That’s what happened with the Israelites, isn’t it? They waited on God so often that they would forget what He had done for them in the past and then go do something silly like create their own gods in idol form, or try and fix their situation themselves. They would whine and complain and say “God, you’ve left” and forget all of the wonderful things He had already done. Bringing them out of Egypt. Leading them with a cloud by day and fire by night. Feeding them with manna He hand-delivered each day for their sustenance.

I was reminded of God’s manna last week when I got a very unexpected check from an old client. It was related to some work I had done for her almost two years ago and I had actually told her not to worry about any more payment because in the original agreement we had talked about doing three projects and we ended up only doing two. As far as I was concerned, she had paid what she’d owed and everything was good. But, I guess she disagreed, and completely out of the blue, sent this check to me, thanking me again for the work and that she was glad she could do this.

Shock and surprise are the only two ways I know to describe my reaction when I opened the card. This gift was something I wasn’t expecting, didn’t feel like I deserved in anyway and yet, I was profoundly grateful for it because, as these things usually happen, it was well-needed at the time.

I felt God gently correct me, though, as I was sitting there, amazed at this gift. Why was I so surprised? Why was it so unbelievable to me, that I would be so shocked at this provision for our family? Why did I not look for the manna? Why did I not expect God to provide? Why did I not look and expect that because He is, He will?

I’m still reading through Psalms and this morning, way before it was light outside, I got up and got some reading done. I had to smile at Psalm 78 – it is such an accurate description of what the Israelites did and it’s also an illustration of what we do today.

We see His miracles and His provision and then we forget. And when things get tough again, we worry and stress and we’re just certain that it’s all over. And yet, God comes right back and provides despite our attitudes and our weaknesses. He does it out of a deep love for us… not because He has too, but because He loves us and wants us to follow Him and have a relationship with Him.

How often are we like the psalmist who says in Psalm 77…

I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn’t heal. When friends said, “Everything will turn out all right,” I didn’t believe a word they said. I remember God – and shake my head. I bow my head – then wring my hands. I’m awake all night – not a wink of sleep; I can’t even say what’s bothering me. I go over the days one by one, I ponder the years gone by. I strum my lute all through the night, wondering how to get my life together. (Psalm 77:2-6, The Message)

And yet, like the psalmist discovers later, God’s way is holy. He’s the God “who makes things happen” (Psalm 77:14).

We’re going to talk this week about believing that God can make things happen. Don’t just wait for the manna to fall when it may. Look for it. Expect it. Trust that He is God.

Related posts:

1. Missing the Manna? Praise Him Anyway
2. God Gives Us What We Need
3. There are Riches in the Waiting
4. Waiting on the Thing
5. Remember.

Tagged as: devotional, Faith, provision