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By Mike Caton

Exodus 16:4-5, “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.’”

God has a solution for the people. I don’t believe the Lord is rewarding the people for grumbling. But the Lord does know the need the people have. Simply put, they need food. There is no human way they can provide all the food they need there in the wilderness. But grumbling and complaining is certainly not going to make the situation better. But all of this is beginning to sound familiar to me.

How often do we grumble and complain about some circumstance in our life? And how often is the circumstance, whatever it is, completely our fault. Think hard about that one, we have become a society of victims here, or so we think. But regardless of the circumstance, God has the solution. God always has the solution! Here, God is going to rain down on them bread from heaven. All they have to do is go out each morning and pick it up. There is no hard work involved on their part, they don’t have to plant, to tend a crop, to harvest; they just go out and get it. God has already done all the work. Think about that in terms of our problems today.

Our biggest problem is sin. It has been since right after the creation. Not only has mankind’s sin marred the world in which we live, but our sin has marred our world, our lives. But God offers us the perfect solution: the Savior has come on our behalf, he has paid the debt we could not pay. And like those Israelites and the manna, all we have to do is accept that gift, God has done all the work. Sure, this gift will change us, just as the Israelites were strengthened when they ate the manna. Our lives ought to be different as well, we ought to be living lives that honor the Lord, that show our gratitude for what he has done for us. All we have to do is accept the gift, but we must accept it.

Father, thank you for always providing what I need. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works full time with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

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