Tag: manna

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The day the manna stopped

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Conscious Design on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Joshua 5.

A whole generation has grown up in a world with smart phones. Apple sold the first iPhone in 2007, so anyone born after that has never seen a world without the pocket technology we use every single day.

Manna kept a nation alive for forty years. God faithfully gave his people this daily bread, just as he promised. A whole generation grew up on manna. They never knew life without it.

Then one day, the manna stopped.

“The manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land” (Joshua 5:12)

They would never eat manna again.

I wonder if anyone would miss it. Before long, I am sure folks would be telling stories of the manna they ate when they were kids. Just like we talk about foods we ate growing up you can’t get anymore. Like Swanson’s TV dinners, Carnation breakfast bars, Hunt’s Snack Pack pudding cups, Jello pudding pops, and Bazooka bubble gum.

No more manna? The good news is that the produce of a land filled with milk and honey was amazing.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Manna again?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Star of the Sea on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Numbers 11.

What’s something you could eat every day?

Great question. Some would say pizza. Ice cream comes up a lot. I have a granddaughter who would choose potatoes. Other granddaughters can’t get enough peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Plenty of people begin their day with a donut to go with their coffee.

Once in a while I hear someone extol the virtues of Waffle House. I’ve only eaten their once and that was enough. A friend of mine proudly tells the story of eating at a Waffle House all three meals one day. Better him than me.

Manna was the miracle provision of God to keep his people fed in the wildernss. After a couple of years, though, it was getting old. “There is nothing but this manna to look at” (Numbers 11:6). At that time they didn’t know they still had thirty-eight years to go.

In his song “So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt,” Keith Green imagines some creative ways to serve up manna (skip to 3:36 if you’re in a hurry):

Oh, manna waffles
Manna burgers
Manna bagels
Fillet of manna
Manna patty
BaManna bread!

So what blessings are you sick and tired of? Family? Job? House? Car? Church? Closet full of clothes? Food?

Chances are you prayed for those things. God provided. God’s been providing for a long time. And all you can do is complain.