Exodus 16:4 states, “Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no.”
One day, while changing handline sprinklers in the lower pasture, I made a request to God, “If you will just give me $10,000, I will be able to pay all my debt and live worry free.” Then I began to think how He might do that. My parents might die and leave me an inheritance. I might be involved in a car wreck and get insurance money. I might win the Reader’s Digest sweepstakes (doubt it). I soon took my prayer back. I would be happier walking every day with God, moving handline, and trusting Him.
As we enter the new year, will we walk in God’s law, or no? We may feel there is no way we can survive another year in this economy. If we trust the Lord, we only need to survive today. That is the way God wants it. When we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11), we form a bond with the great Provider.
While spending two years in Colorado Springs, attending Bible College, the daily walk-by-faith became very real. One cold winter day, our little Ford Falcon wouldn’t start. Our good friend and choir director, Leon Patrick, gave me a ride to the campus across town, but he wasn’t able to bring me home when classes got out at 10:00 p.m. When it came time to leave, I didn’t have a plan. I decided to walk out into the parking lot, hoping someone would ask me where my car was, and then offer me a ride. It never happened. God had a better idea. A few steps before going out the door, Art Moore, a classmate, asked me if I knew anyone that needed a car. “Yes, I do,” I responded. He soon had me hooked up with a man who didn’t need his work car, and wanted to give it to someone who could use it. “It’s not ready right now,” he said. My heart sank. “Could we go look at it?” I asked. We did. It was under a foot of snow. He didn’t think it would start. After moving snow, I got in and tried it. The dome light was dim. I pumped the gas three times. The engine slowly turned over and then came to life. It was a ’62 Ford Galaxy with a good heater. “Thank you Jesus,” I cried.
Isn’t God good? His idea of providing daily goes beyond hunger and material need. He wants to be involved in our life every day. The children in the desert had to learn a few lessons in obedience.(Don’t we all?) Gathering, storing, and Sabbath rest were to be done God’s way. This was God’ bread—miracle bread. It fed them for 40 years. The portion put in the Ark of the Covenant lasted to the next generation (Exodus 16:33-34).
In John 6:31-35, the manna miracle is mentioned. Verse 35 says, “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me, shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” This year let us walk with and trust the Bread of Life, THE DAILY BREAD!
