Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.” (v. 4)
God’s greatest desire for your life is that you walk in obedience to Him. We often think that God exists to meet our needs and shower blessings on us like some big Santa Claus in the sky. Yes, He loves you, and He does provide for His children, but His sole purpose is not your provision. In Exodus, God gave the Israelites precisely what they needed when they needed it. However, His provision in their lives was more than just keeping them from hunger and thirst. His provision was always an opportunity for them to walk in faith and obedience to His word.
The manna from the Lord was a miraculous provision for their need. However, it came with specific stipulations. They were to gather only what they needed, no more and no less. This command was to teach them that He was their source of sustenance and not the manna or quail He provided. They were to trust the Lord for precisely what they needed; there was no need to overindulge or horde for tomorrow. The God who was faithful to provide that day would be the same God who would provide again tomorrow. One need only trust Him and walk in obedience to His instructions.
Yet, like many of us, the Israelites failed miserably at this. They gathered too much because they were not confident He would come through, in the same way, the next day. They also grumbled, sometimes complaining that He did not provide or other times complaining that He did not provide the variety they wanted. How many times have we tried to outthink God and find a way to solve our own problems instead of just trusting Him to do what He has promised to do? How many times have we failed to be thankful for His daily provision because it didn’t come the way we wanted or when we wanted? God gave them what they needed, and He did it to test them. How is He testing you today, and are you passing the test?
