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January—Rest, Refreshing
“Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. He said to them, ‘This is what the Lord commanded: Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’” Exodus 16:21-23(NIV)
God provides for His children. In this chapter, He provides food daily for the Israelites. Moses gives specific instructions that the people are to follow. They can only gather a certain amount of the flakes—one omer per person in their tent—each day. They have to consume each day’s gatherings without saving any for the next day. If they disobey and save any, it would develop bugs and acquire a bad smell.
On the sixth day, Moses tells them to gather twice as much—two omers for each person. They can fix it any way they chose but they have to save some for use on the seventh day because it was a Sabbath to the Lord and no manna would appear.
We who live in our present time might find this passage hard to understand. As we study it, we see God’s provision for His children. We also see how those children disobey and the result of their disobedience. Do we sometimes find it easier to do what we want than to follow God’s guidance and direction? I sometimes I think it is. When I venture off and ‘do my own thing’ I find myself in some trouble with the Lord. Sometimes it takes me a while to realize I am not listening to God and have to tell Him I am sorry.
I had a friend who said it this way, “We are not to run ahead of the Lord. Neither are we to walk behind Him. We are to walk with Him.”
When God tells me I need to rest from my activities, I know I need to obey. When I rest in Him, I come away more refreshed than I could imagine.
Oh Yes...we do tend to run ahead of God or lag behind Him when He is urging us to move forward. It is always better to walk WITH HIM, and stay in step with His leadership. And learning to REST in HIm is something that many of us have a difficult time learning...that is why God has directed me to REST in Him in 2017. One day at a time. I'm really trying to obey...
ReplyDeletePam: Thank you for your lovely comments.We have to rest because we are finite beings. I have recently made progress with keeping up with the Lord because of my resting from blogging and because I was ill. He has taught me so much recently.
DeleteHi Cecelia! Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDeleteI do think this passage really speaks to greed. I should only take what I need, not looking to support myself for days, because God will always be there to help me. What a beautiful faith that is, to trust that God will provide day in and day out.
I have heard of that saying that your friend referred to, and it's so true. The Lord wants friends to walk with him. He doesn't need to be led by me, he is the Leader!
Blessings,
Ceil
Hi Ceil: You make a very good point about this passage. We have to learn to trust the Lord in all things and for all things. David speaks of God'preparing a table before me,' And Jesus says in the Lord's Prayer, 'Give us this day, our daily bread.'
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