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daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
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Friday,
January 22,
2021
Our dogs enjoy
sitting on the window sill watching for squirrels.
"MannaHub"™
Message summary: Consider His
care in your life today. Jesus taught us in the
Lord’s Prayer to pray, "Give us this day our daily
bread". God is our Provider and desires our
dependence on Him as an expression of faith. For a
specific time in Israel's wilderness wandering He
provided a MannaHub™ delivery service. But in His
ordained order He usually has designed our
cooperation in working and demonstrating
responsibility.
Listen
to this message on your audio player.
Listen
to this message on your audio player.“Behold,
I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the
people shall go out and gather a day’s portion
every day” (Exodus 16:4). “The manna stopped the
day after they ate this food from the land; there
was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but
that year they ate of the produce of Canaan”
(Joshua 5:12). “Give us this day our daily bread”
(Matthew 6:11).
Throughout
this long pandemic period restaurants have been
especially hit hard. Most have had closures, along
with limited hours and seating when they are open.
Many have tried to adapt by expanding take-out and
delivery options. I expect that companies in the
delivery business are doing very well.We
occasionally do the take-out but really haven't
explored the delivery option since we live out in
the country. We're not sure of how many would be
willing to come out our way. I also find the name of
one of these delivery services, GrubHub™, less than
appetizing.
But
today let us consider a unique period in history
when food was delivered directly from God when He
miraculously provided the manna during the
wanderings of the children of Israel in the
wilderness for 40 years. Perhaps they called it
MannaHub™. First it was seen as a tremendous
miracle; a rather fascinating, labor free way to
receive daily bread and it "tasted like wafers
made with honey" (Exodus 16:31), which sounds
pretty good to me. But over time it became a source
of discontent and grumbling (Numbers 11:6). Isn’t
that the way we so often are concerning God’s
blessings?
Surely many in the younger generation merely took the manna for granted as they had grown up with this miraculous provision since birth. They had acquired no taste for other varieties of food so they didn’t necessarily realize what they were missing. They probably just thought that’s how food was always provided.
But when our second daily text was written the people had crossed over to the Promised Land and were then instructed to eat from provisions of the land which would have also meant a resumption of labor. The next morning, for the first time in forty years, the daily provision of manna no longer rained down from heaven. You might say the divine MannaHub™ delivery was suspended.
The provision of manna was miraculous, for a specific reason and for a specific season. The reason is they were unable to stay in one place and cultivate any land, the season was their 40 years of aimless wandering. But when they entered the Promised Land and settled down it was a time when God knew the people could return to the normal means of provision as "they ate of the produce of Canaan".
God
provides but not always as we expect. We have read
testimonies of miraculous provision like that of the
manna. Several weeks ago we had breakfast at Ella's
Place, a family-owned restaurant in Elizabethtown,
PA. The owner is an Egyptian and very outspoken
Christian. He told us about a miraculous provision
many years ago at the Lillian Trasher orphanage in
Egypt. The orphanage was very short on provisions
and the leaders actually had the children sit down
for their expected meal without any means to provide
food for them, except to pray. As they were praying
a milk truck broke down in front of the orphanage
and the driver called the dairy to see what he
should do and was told to give all the milk to the
orphanage!
But the norm is that humans cooperate with God in working to prepare our food; from the hardworking farmer, the trucking industry, food processing plants, grocery stores, right down to those who prepare it in the kitchen to serve a delicious meal to their family. As I reflect upon my life I realize in one way or another I have worked in each of these fields. My first job was at a Kroger Supermarket in Independence, MO. While in college and early in our marriage I did both farm work and drove a truck. In the course of our chaplaincy work we have served at food processing plants like Turkey Hill Dairy, Herr’s Snack Foods and Martin’s Bakery.
“Bless
us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about
to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ, our
Lord. Amen.” This is a common table prayer often
referred to as “saying Grace”.
We also often pray that God would bless the hands of those who prepare our food but in doing so let us also consider the preparation that begins way back on the farm and through each step of the process till it graces our table including the person who bags your groceries! Bless those hard working laborers as well in your prayers and thank them personally when you see them!
Consider His care in your life today. Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread". God is our Provider and desires our dependence on Him as an expression of faith. For a specific time in Israel's wilderness wandering He provided a MannaHub™ delivery service. But in His ordained order He usually has designed our cooperation in working and demonstrating responsibility.
In God’s timing and in accordance with His specific plan for our lives He could send manna (miraculous provision). But unless provision is supplied in this manner He has ordained that we work to provide for ourselves and others in our charge. Surely the ceasing of what had become routine was just as mysterious to the people as the initial provision, but God was in control. He still is and He always will be!
Be encouraged,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
But
today let us consider a unique period in history
when food was delivered directly from God when He
miraculously provided the manna during the
wanderings of the children of Israel in the
wilderness for 40 years. Perhaps they called it
MannaHub™. First it was seen as a tremendous
miracle; a rather fascinating, labor free way to
receive daily bread and it "tasted like wafers
made with honey" (Exodus 16:31), which sounds
pretty good to me. But over time it became a source
of discontent and grumbling (Numbers 11:6). Isn’t
that the way we so often are concerning God’s
blessings?Surely many in the younger generation merely took the manna for granted as they had grown up with this miraculous provision since birth. They had acquired no taste for other varieties of food so they didn’t necessarily realize what they were missing. They probably just thought that’s how food was always provided.
But when our second daily text was written the people had crossed over to the Promised Land and were then instructed to eat from provisions of the land which would have also meant a resumption of labor. The next morning, for the first time in forty years, the daily provision of manna no longer rained down from heaven. You might say the divine MannaHub™ delivery was suspended.
The provision of manna was miraculous, for a specific reason and for a specific season. The reason is they were unable to stay in one place and cultivate any land, the season was their 40 years of aimless wandering. But when they entered the Promised Land and settled down it was a time when God knew the people could return to the normal means of provision as "they ate of the produce of Canaan".
God
provides but not always as we expect. We have read
testimonies of miraculous provision like that of the
manna. Several weeks ago we had breakfast at Ella's
Place, a family-owned restaurant in Elizabethtown,
PA. The owner is an Egyptian and very outspoken
Christian. He told us about a miraculous provision
many years ago at the Lillian Trasher orphanage in
Egypt. The orphanage was very short on provisions
and the leaders actually had the children sit down
for their expected meal without any means to provide
food for them, except to pray. As they were praying
a milk truck broke down in front of the orphanage
and the driver called the dairy to see what he
should do and was told to give all the milk to the
orphanage!But the norm is that humans cooperate with God in working to prepare our food; from the hardworking farmer, the trucking industry, food processing plants, grocery stores, right down to those who prepare it in the kitchen to serve a delicious meal to their family. As I reflect upon my life I realize in one way or another I have worked in each of these fields. My first job was at a Kroger Supermarket in Independence, MO. While in college and early in our marriage I did both farm work and drove a truck. In the course of our chaplaincy work we have served at food processing plants like Turkey Hill Dairy, Herr’s Snack Foods and Martin’s Bakery.
“Bless
us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about
to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ, our
Lord. Amen.” This is a common table prayer often
referred to as “saying Grace”.We also often pray that God would bless the hands of those who prepare our food but in doing so let us also consider the preparation that begins way back on the farm and through each step of the process till it graces our table including the person who bags your groceries! Bless those hard working laborers as well in your prayers and thank them personally when you see them!
Consider His care in your life today. Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread". God is our Provider and desires our dependence on Him as an expression of faith. For a specific time in Israel's wilderness wandering He provided a MannaHub™ delivery service. But in His ordained order He usually has designed our cooperation in working and demonstrating responsibility.
In God’s timing and in accordance with His specific plan for our lives He could send manna (miraculous provision). But unless provision is supplied in this manner He has ordained that we work to provide for ourselves and others in our charge. Surely the ceasing of what had become routine was just as mysterious to the people as the initial provision, but God was in control. He still is and He always will be!
Be encouraged,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, we’re reminded of Your
absolute faithfulness as we reflect upon the
Israelites' journeying in the wilderness. Even when
they were unfaithful and rebellious, in Your
compassionate faithfulness, You provided for their
daily needs. Your steadfast love never ceased and
Your mercies never came to an end, for they were
renewed everyday and are this day as well. All we
have need of Your hand provides. We want to do our
part in receiving it with thanksgiving and being
careful not to waste, but to share with those in
genuine need. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
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Weber".Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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