“In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and
in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer
of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky
substance, as fine as frost on the ground.”
Exodus 16:13-14
I am
reminded that we need to rely on God for the daily substance God can
provide. This passage from Exodus takes
place in that lonely location simply known as “the wilderness”. The Israelites having been released from
their captivity in Egypt, get to this point of frustration and, while in the
midst of a wandering and without the basic things they need, begin to realize
that even their former role of slavery starts to look attractive. They start bellyaching and complaining, giving
Moses and Aaron an earful about their plight, their discomfort and their
unsettled reality. And as their leaders
pass along their complaint to the Lord, an interesting thing happens. The Lord responds in-kind, with this daily
nourishment from the sky.
It’s
not completely unheard of in scripture, yet also not very common, for God to
change His mind and be influenced by His people when they are in a jam. Yet here, God provides the daily provision
for their needs, assuaging their mood and giving them both a lesson and
nourishment. They need to eat if they
are to survive, and they also need to lean on God each day to do the same. We know that this flaky substance was called
‘manna’. The Hebrew translation of the
word is “What is it?” It is given a
name out of the peoples’ confusion and complaining. Ultimately, it is a mystery. It is part of the unknown, just as their
present state and their immediate future remain unknown.
What
do you do in a wilderness time? Is it
common to start complaining, to find that in the place of unknowing there is
great trust or great doubt? I think it
is expected that in the times of transition and in-between that grumbling is a
natural matter of course. There is
change and uncertainty, and there is discomfort that accompanies this. But what God shows is that it is all the more
important to trust, rely and lean on the daily provision God wants to
offer. Our prayers should become more
frequent and of a deeper nature. Our
conversations with God and one another should be more thoughtful and
sincere—and our listening for the leading of the Spirit should be heightened.
We
are challenged, I think, in this interim time, to be patient and
listening. There are lots of people
doing lots of preparation work, through the Session, through the ministry
areas, through the ongoing mission and outreach of our congregation. Much of it is an evaluation of our present
state, and going forward it will involve the congregation’s participation and
input into the process. Remember that
each day we must trust God’s provision to move us into the next. I am praying for all of you as we look ahead.
Peace, Love, Hope
and Joy, Tim
