Manna, manna, and more manna. This sweet bread-like substance that God provided proved to sustain the Israelites nutritionally all by itself; it was their mainstay for years on end. It was like the relationship God was trying to create with these wandering people. How many ways can you serve up manna? How creative our God can be in his ways of shaping us to be his people!
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but thou art mighty.
Hold me with thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow.
let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
Be thou still my strength and shield.
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but thou art mighty.
Hold me with thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more.
Feed me till I want no more.
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more.
I want no more . . .
The journey continues. Israel calls on God through Moses over and over to rescue them. In our stillness, we do the same calling–directly to our great God who still rescues and still saves.
And sometimes the only thing left is surrender.
Those pesky idols . . . hmm. The Israelites struggled with staying faithful to God as Moses went up on the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments. They lost sight of their leader and asked Aaron to make them a golden calf to worship. What do I replace God with when I am stubborn and looking to other things to fulfill me? Even in my sin and rebellion he wants to make me alive again in him. He wants me to come back to him. He can make me new.
Sometimes the journey gets personal. God provides refreshment through an oasis in the wilderness and we are fed by him. It’s just us and him until we are healed by his grace.
God becomes everything to his people. He sends manna to feed them, a pillar of fire and a cloud to guide them, sandals and clothes that don’t wear out, feet that don’t swell up . . . more miracles of mercy. Sometimes they forget what he has done for them. Sometimes they grumble and complain because they forget how he loves them. They forget that he is everything.
Miracles do happen. The Israelites saw one before their very eyes. Their prayer was answered. A great faith in a great God!
The Red Sea is staring us in the face. Will we trust God? What is your Red Sea experience? Are you ready for the storm? Can you speak of how God parts the waves in your life?
Here we are again with the ideal . . . God fighting the fight in each of us through our salvation in Jesus our Savior. We were blind, but now we see. The Israelites needed a Savior. We need a Savior. Praise God, we have one. Let’s keep following him today. Even when things don’t go as we’d like, even when life is hard and it feels like we are in a wilderness part of the journey–Lord, we want to follow you. He is real. He is for us.
The Israelites are freed from Pharoah, their oppressor, and they follow God through their leader Moses out of Egypt and have a chance for new life. Now they will learn how to leave the past behind and what it feels like to be safe in God’s arms.