Our Daily Bread

Reading Exodus 16, I realized how the Lord always meets our needs even when we often don’t meet His. In the chapter, we see how the Israelites are filled with murmuring (complaints) on how they should’ve died in Egypt as a slave rather than be filled with hunger. The Israelites couldn’t fathom the idea of suffering for God but they could fathom suffering for man in bondage. They would rather be slaves than do what the Lord commanded.

As you continue reading, we see that God instructs Moses to inform the Israelites that He would provide bread from heaven for them. God wanted to test whether the Israelites would follow His laws. He aimed to make them understand that He had freed them from bondage in Egypt and would provide for all their needs. They simply needed to trust Him. Ultimately, their complaints were not directed at Moses and Aaron; they were against the Lord.

The Lord was about to reveal His glory to the Israelites by providing them with food. In Chapter 15, He had already demonstrated His faithfulness by giving them 70 palm trees and 12 wells of water to quench their thirst. If we look back even further, we see how the Lord showed His faithfulness by bringing them out of Egypt. Each plague that afflicted the Egyptians did not harm the Israelites in any way. Additionally, the Lord protected the Israelites by preventing the Egyptians from pursuing them. He parted the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground, while the Egyptians drowned. What a GREAT GOD who goes before you and fights your battles!

The Israelites have witnessed all that the Lord has done, yet they still do not trust His plan. They continued to think like slaves, as if they were still in bondage, even though they were truly free. Now, back in the wilderness, the Lord spoke to Moses. “I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel; speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God” Exodus 16:12 KJV

In the evening, quails came for the Israelites to eat, followed by manna (bread) in the morning. But here’s where it gets really interesting: the Lord commanded them to fill an Omer (a measurement) with grain and lay it before the Lord to be preserved for generations. As this chapter comes to a close, it states that.. “And the children of Israel did eat manna for forty years until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan” (The Promised Land) Exodus 16:36 KJV

In this chapter, we witness the faithfulness of the Lord. His provision is always perfect; with Him, we lack nothing. He knows what we need and when we need it, and He wants us to trust Him, regardless of what our natural eyes may perceive. The Israelites were able to eat bread for 40 years, as the Lord provided them with just enough sustenance to get through each day.

Whatever we need, the Lord will surely provide for us. We just have to trust Him and not operate from a place of fear or lack. Words have power and we speak either life or death through our tongue. We have to speak life because we belong to LIFE (Jesus). Those of us who are in Christ are heirs of Jesus Christ, and we have been granted an inheritance. He promised that He would withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). The Lord always provides enough for today, so let’s not be consumed with worry about tomorrow, as it is never guaranteed. In our walk with Christ, we can trust that He goes before us, making crooked paths straight and showing His provision to meet our daily needs. Jesus is faithful. Therefore we need to grow in FAITH, and allow FAITH to lead us to His plans.

Continue this journey with Jesus by praying, reading, studying, fasting, praising, and worshiping your way through. The Lord will give you peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). Let us learn from the mistakes of the Israelites.

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

2 Corinthians 5:7 ASV

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

Proverbs 18:21 KJV

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭25‬-‭34‬ ‭NLT‬‬