DAILY BIBLE DEVOTION

 

MANNA IN THE DESERT

We are so like the Israelites. Just

when we get what we want, we

decide that we want more. The

Israelites have been saved from

slavery and then God brought

them through the sea, and now

they're complaining again. God

again provided what they need,

but they do have to follow some

rules. They were only to gather

what they needed for the day and

on the sixth day they collected

enough for the Sabbath. What they

gathered was measured so that

each had what they needed and no

one had more. They were

instructed not to save some for the

next day and, of course, there were

those who didn't follow

instructions and what they saved

became foul. On the sixth day, they

could prepare enough for the next

day so that the Sabbath could be a

holy day dedicated to Yahweh.

Fifty years ago, there was little

work done on the Sabbath, now it

seems like just another day.

My mother used to talk about my

grandmother who would prepare

all the vegetables on Saturday for

the Sunday dinner. That way she

didn't have to do unnecessary

work on Sunday. There was no

card playing or dancing; there was

church in the morning and again

at night. She kept the Sabbath

holy. God provides what we need

and expects us to use his gifts

prudently. Today, if there is a

report ofa storm coming, people

rush to the stores and stock up on

more food than they can use to the

point where others are left

wanting. We can learn two lessons

here, first God will take care of us

and greed is sinful, the second is

that the Sabbath is meant to be

kept holy.

PRAYER

Loving God, you save us from

ourselves, you give us what we

need; may we make sure that we

keep a Sabbath holy, a time to

praise you and thank you for what

you have done for us. Amen.