wilderness

In Exodus, God told the Israelites He was going to deliver them from slavery in Egypt. Can you imagine how excited they were? They were going to be set free from their hardships and oppression. But then the Lord reveals a twist - though He would be with them and WAS going to set them free, Pharoah was going to say "no" several times first. Wait, what?

Lord, I thought you told me this was Your plan. I thought we were gonna leave this slavery business behind and move into that land of milk and honey. What about that plan? 

Sometimes, walking through what God has called us to walk through isn't easy. It doesn't make logical sense, and it certainly isn't fun. We have to wait on Him, and we do not like to be kept waiting in our microwave-oven, instant gratification lives.

And so, after numerous plagues and crazy things to finally change Pharoah's mind (which, side note: God could have changed instantly, anyway, as it says that God hardened his hearts toward the Israelites several times), the Israelites head out. But wait, they're not headed the shortest, quickest route to the promised land. The Lord leads them out into the wilderness. And so begins the grumbling.

The Lord brought us here to take us to the promised land, but all I see is desert. Why would you lead us here, only to starve us, Lord? 

How many times have I asked those same questions?

Lord, we have been so faithful with our tithes and trying to be good stewards; why are we still short on money this month?Lord, I've done everything right; why are we still not hearing Your voice? Lord, I thought You had given me a desire for a family; why are we struggling with infertility? Why don't we have this or that? Why, why, why? 

Then, God provided the manna. They didn't know what it was. It was unlike anything they had ever seen. It was flaky and white and landed on the grass. They didn't have a "balanced meal". It was just simply... manna. It sustained them, even though they didn't have a frame of reference for it. It probably had very little flavor and wasn't very exciting, but it sustained them. They didn't starve.

Think of it from God's side, though. He provided it for them and they didn't have to toil, or labor, or sow or reap, they simply went outside in the mornings and gathered it. It was there, it was filling, it was nutritious, it was just what they needed at the time. I know God does this for us now, too.

And here's what I think. I think that once they reached the land of milk and honey, they might have missed the manna a little bit - the little pieces of heaven that came to them every morning, straight from the Lord. I'm trying to learn what God wants to teach me through this time. I'm trying to pick up my manna every day and absorb the valuable nutrients while I wait for the promised land.