Manna

Read Exodus 16:1-16

That evening vast numbers of quail arrived and covered the camp, and in the morning the desert all around the camp was wet with dew, and when the dew disappeared later in the morning it left thin white flakes that covered the ground like frost. When the people of Israel saw it they asked each other, "What is it?"

And Moses told them, "It is the food Jehovah has given you. Exodus 16: 13-15 (TLB)

While in the wilderness with Moses, the Israelites complained that even though God had rescued them from Egypt, at least they had had meat and bread to eat there. So God provided sustenance for them. When the Israelites saw this provision, they asked, "What is it?" and eventually named it manna. Melissa R. Levi, from Tennessee, can imagine the Israelites overlooking the manna, which is described as resembling coriander seed, as they searched for the promised bread. Although manna was not what they had expected, God provided for their needs.

Sometimes we might pray for days, weeks, or even years, seemingly without answer. Often the answer to our prayers is not what we think it should be. Instead what we receive could be exactly what we have needed. How often do we miss the answers to our prayers because we are looking for what we think the answer should be? Let us pray for discernment and wisdom to recognize when God gives it.

Prayer: Dear God, give us discernment to recognize you and your provision, especially when what you offer is not what we expect, in Jesus' name. Amen.